Shirley Smith White

Shirley Smith White, 86, of Franklinton, passed away Sunday, May 23, 2021.  She was born September 26, 1934 in Norfolk, Virginia to the late Stanley and Mary Elizabeth Whitehead Smith. 

Shirley is a retired secretary with the Wake County Health Department, and a talented and self-taught pianist that served many churches in the area.  She is an artistic self-taught seamstress that worked in and out of the home as well as sewing for her family.  Shirley loved to dance and sing, and was an avid walker almost to the end of her life, and was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and homemaker who loved her family and extended family. She was very smart and energetic, as well as an excellent cook.  Shirley lived out her final months at the home of her youngest daughter surrounded by all the people that loved her.  She was a member of Bay Leaf Baptist Church and loved Jesus.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 33 years, Bruce White.

Those left to cherish her memory include her son Russell White of Bunn, NC, daughters, Dorothy King of Raleigh, Arleen Rice and husband Maury of Franklinton, six grandchildren, Nathan and Tyler White, Heather Evans and husband Adam, Samantha Raye and husband Paul, Hudson Rice and wife Taylor, and Colton Rice, great-grandchildren Cayden White, Braydon Ganey, Dalton, Silas, and Levi Raye, and Axel Rice, brothers, Louis Smith and wife Connie of Atlanta, GA, and Wayne Smith and wife Carol of Elizabeth City, NC.

A Celebration of Shirley’s life will be held at 10:30 AM Thursday, May 27, 2021 at Bay Leaf Baptist Church with Pastor Don Gilbert officiating.  The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM-10:30 AM Thursday morning at the church.  Memorial donations of sympathy may be made in Shirley’s name to the Annie Armstrong Easter offering which supports North American Missionaries at anniearmstrong.com or to Lottie Moon offering which supports International Missionaries at lmb.com.

The family would like to offer a sincere thank you to Community Hospice, especially Jessica and Sharita, for their excellent care and compassion shown during the last six months of her life.

Bright Funeral Home and Cremation Center of Wake Forest is serving the family.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.