George Finley White
August 26, 1926 ~ August 22, 2004
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
George Finley White, Sr., 77, of 38 Mountain Terrace Road, Asheville, died Sunday, August 22, 2004, at his home.
A native of Asheville, he was the son of the late George Mitchell and Willie DeBruhl White. He graduated from Lee H. Edwards High School with the class of 1944, and attended Cecil’s Business College. Finley served in the Army during WW II in the Asiatic Pacific Theater where he received two Bronze Stars.
With his father he operated the C&W Clothing Store until 1964 when he joined the J.C. Penney Company as a clothing specialist until his retirement in 1984.
Mr. White was a former member of West Asheville Baptist Church where he served in various areas and departments. More recently he became an active member of First Baptist Church in Asheville where he served as Deacon, Chairman of the Older Adult Council, member of Christian Care Group and outreach leader for the Catacomb Bible Class. On August 22, just hours before his death, he was honored by the church by being elected a Life Deacon.
Surviving are his wife of 51 years, Alice Jackson White; daughter and son-in-law Beth and Ken Farmer and grandson Alex Farmer of Black Mountain; son and daughter-in-law George Finley White, Jr. “Geoff” and Kristy White and granddaughter Anna Grace White of Birmingham, AL; sister Elizabeth Ledbetter of Jacksonville, FL, and many treasured friends.
A celebration of Finley’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Guy Sayles, the Rev. Gail Coulter and Mrs. Donna Painter officiating. Burial will follow at Green Hills Cemetery.
His family will receive friends from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Mountain Area Hospice, PO Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813, or to First Baptist Church, Faith You Can See Building Program, 5 Oak Street, Asheville, NC 28801.
Alice, even tho we didn’t know George,we have heard so many good things about both of you and feel as if we did know you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time. May God bless and comfort you. Much love, Sarah and Troy (Joyce’s sister-in-law)
Wonderful memories of a fine Christian man. He was my last remaining uncle and he will be missed.
Finley was a great person, he will be missed. I have very fond memories of him while I was growing up. To Geoff and the family you are in my prayers.
Dear Geoff, Alice and Beth,:
We will be praying for you all as you go through this time of loss. Your family has always held a special place in my heart. Geoff, I have great memories of our childhood days hanging out at your house and your dad always being such a neat family man with great wit and treating me as if I were one of his own children. I know he loved the Lord and there is no doubt in my mind that he is free of all pain and enjoying his time in Heaven. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this time.
In Christ,
Allen & Melissa Scroggs
It will be a lifelong memory of having met George (Finley) and Alice a short 2 years ago. The memory of our cruise in March 2004 will be long lasting. Joyce & I look forward to seeing Alice in Ca. in the near future. God Bless the White family and their kin.
Bill Cobb
Alice, may God comfort you at this difficult time. Our brief meeting left a lasting impression. I know you have lots of precious memories tucked away in your heart.
My love and sympathy to you and your family. Joyce will always be special to us. In Christian love,
I came to know Finley when I was about eight years old and attended Sunday School at West Asheville Baptist. It has been many years since then, but I will always remember that he was the one who taught me the ‘Lord’s Prayer’. Although I never had the oppurtunity to talk with Finley after he came to First Baptist Church, I will always remember how he spent many hours teaching a bunch of young boys about Jesus and his love for each one of us. Carol and I send our prayers and condolences to the family.
Alice,
I can’t begin to tell you how much Finley’s smile meant to me and my department. He always asked the Singles Connection to serve at his musical programs. I remember, at one of the last ones when he was present, you walked in and backed up against a table, dressed magnificently in an ivory or gold dress. I said to Finley, ‘Is that beautiful woman your wife?’ Finley beamed (you know his smile always covered his whole face) and he said, ‘That is my sweetheart AND my beautiful wife!’ How wonderful it must be to have spent almost a lifetime loving this wonderful Christian man! The singles will never forget his kindness and love and interest in us and what we were trying to do for the Lord!
Alice….I only met you and George once when you picked up Joyce (my sister-in-law) but want you know my thoughts are with you during this difficult time. You will always have wonderful memories of your dear one. God Bless,
Geoff,
Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. May the memories of your Dad be a comfort.
Dear Alice and Family: We were fortunate to have met George and could always count on a smile. May you find comfort knowing he is in a much better place. Our love and prayers are with you every day.
Beth, Ken and Alex,
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Mike and Kristy Beaver
Earth’s loss is Heaven’s gain for a wonderful soul has just entered Heaven’s Gates. As we grieve for our loss, we must rejoice for his eternal peace.
You are in my heart and prayers.
Finley was one of the finest men I ever had the honoe of knowing.He will be surely missed by a host of people. My prayers are with the family.
Alice and Family Members, Someone had told us that Finley was very ill. Regardless of age, health, or any other circumstance in life we are never ready to give up our loved ones. We know from our own experience the only comfort comes from a real Faith in the Sovereignty of God and the manifested concern of caring friends. Please know we are thinking of you at this time and will hold you in our prayers. I never could get over Finley’s Uncle Joe DeBruhl was only 2 years ahead of him in school. They were alike in many ways. Joe Clark
This is a great loss to his many friends at First Baptist Church and in the Bible Study class he led so effectively for years. We are only glad his health struggle is over and that he is with the Lord he loves.
Our thoughts & prayers are with you & your family hoping each day brings added strength & many fond memories.
To all the family,
We were so sorry to hear about Finley. What a wonderful man he was. We have so many memories of him, We will all miss him but he is in a much better place than we. God be with all of you during this difficult time. You will be in our thoughts and Prayers. Tony & Frances Hensley
Cliff’s and my prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Alice and family: Our first thoughts were of sadness at Finley’s passing and your great loss, our second thoughts were that he has just begun to live, his faith in Jesus was strong. I know you will miss him greatly, but pray that God will be with you in a special way in the days ahead.
Dear Alice and family Finley (george to us) will be missed by all the people that loved him. He was a kind and gentle man, and a wonderful friend. We had many good times together in a space of four years but they will be treasured and forever in our hearts. He is in God’s hands and at peace. We all have one more angel watching over us. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this difficult time. We love you, Joyce, Bill, and Family
My wife, Louise, and I are offer our sympathy in this great loss. Finley and I were good friends in school and I remember him well. May God be with you in this homegoing of a fine man and gentleman. There were not many in the high category of Finley White.
Dear Family;My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with you at this time and as you adjust to going on. May the confort of Christ and His great prommises confort you.
Alice – we are thinking about you during this sad time. We have special memories of Finley and you as we worked at Bell & JCP.
You have our deepest heartfelt sympathy Peter @ Perry Shaffer
Dear Alice and family,
We were saddened to learn of Finley’s passing. He was a special
man, and we were fortunate to have him in our family. He will be missed. Our love to you,
Joyce and Donn
Dear Alice & Family: Though I never got the chance to meet you or George, I have heard so many wonderful things about you both from my mom. (Joyce Fink) George was like family to her and held a very dear place in her heart. I know she will miss him greatly. I can only hope that the pain of his passing can be comforted by the knowing ‘his pain’ has passed and he is at peace. You are all in my thoughts & prayers. Sharon (Joyce’s Daughter)
Dear Geoff:
I was so sorry to hear about your dad. He was always so nice to Allen when the two of you were growing up and in school together. You and all your family will be in my thoughts and prayers in the days ahead. May God comfort each of you.
Dear Alice, Beth,& Geoff. The years have gone by to fast, but we realize seperation is inevitable on earth as man, but in Christ as ‘Finely’, was and we are we will all meet together at JESUS’S feet to finish out eternity together and renew old friendships. We love you and are here for you.
I worked with Ken at First Union for many years. My Prayers are with you Ken, and the family. God bless you!
Geoff,
Please express my sincerest condolences to your mother and the rest of your family. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting your father, I have experienced a glance at him through your window. What I see manifested in you, his son, is that he honored family, promoted excellence, and deserved respect. Thank you for introducing me to him in that way.
Barbara Cusimano
WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE GREAT
TRIPS WE HAD WITH BOTH OF YOU AND ALSO THE GREAT VISITS WE HAD HERE.
OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES TO YOU, ALICE, AND YOUR FAMILY.