Maria Ofelia White

Maria Ofelia Monge Ureña was born on May 27, 1949, in the canton of Desamparados in San Jose, Costa Rica. She was the fourth of nine children born to Fransisco Monge Calderon and Blanca Ureña. The family settled in the beautiful village of Patarra in the mountains of the Central Valley, where her father owned coffee plantations and her mother made a home for the family. The children attended the local school in Patarra, and when they reached middle school, each began apprenticeships in the community. Ofelia chose to study under the village seamstress and there began her lifelong love of sewing. In 1971, while working in a sewing factory, a group of students from Grand Cayman Island who were on a school trip to San Jose came in to tour the factory. Their teacher was an American who saw her sewing and fell in love at first sight. Walter Thomas White wrote her letters for several months before visiting again, and they were married on December 8, 1972. Tom and Ofelia made their home on the island and welcomed their daughter, Dorothy Eizabeth on July 27, 1975. The family moved back to Patarra until 1977, when they moved to Glendale, California. Ofelia was the first person to leave her village in over 100 years and was dearly missed by her family. On April 20, 1978, they welcomed a son, Daniel Felipe. Ofelia opened a small home daycare and also began sewing for clients. The family moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Tom's hometown, in 1984. Ofelia once again opened a home daycare and also began sewing for the community. Her daycare was applauded for its cleanliness and efficiency, and the parents and babies loved her warmth and kindness. The family attended First Wesleyan Church, where she served in various capacities, including professional baby snuggler in the church nursery. She traveled the world with her husband, visiting five continents and sharing her beautiful smile and the love of Jesus with everyone she met. She continued to love and serve others for the rest of her life.

Ofelia's greatest source of joy was her family. She adored her children and grandchildren and was a generous and loving mother and grandmother. On trips back home to Costa Rica, she would pack suitcases filled with gifts for her siblings, nieces and nephews. She was happiest when she was sharing with others. Her home was always filled with dinner guests, church friends, friends met through her travels, and of course, grandkids. Ofelia's kitchen was open to all as she made arroz con pollo, empanadas, tamales, and her grandkids' favorite potato soup. She loved to listen to music and dance and was a fan of Dancing with the Stars and the Miss Universe pageant. Her joy and kindness will be remembered by those who knew and loved her.

Maria Ofelia is survived by her children, Dorothy Colaw and Daniel White, daughter-in-law Casey Bowman White, grandchildren Chase, Reagan, and Julia Colaw, and Shawn and Charley White, two sisters, Martha Mora and Julia Monge, brothers-in-law Ricardo Lizano, Minor Mora, and fifteen nieces, nephews, and their children, as well as one brother-in-law Royce White, one sister-in-law Barbara White and nephew Austin White and wife Ashleigh. She is preceded in death by her husband, her parents and six of her siblings: Fransisco, Carlos, Cecilia, Gerardo, Itza, and Emelia.

The family will receive friends from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, February 1st at Davis Family Funeral Home & Crematory – Walker Brown Chapel, 4201 Nowata Rd., Bartlesville. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and the Davis Family Funeral Home and Crematory - Walker Brown Chapel. Online condolences and remembrances may be shared at www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com