Dessa L. White Obituary (1918 - 2014)

Mrs. Dessa L. White, age 96, passed away on the morning of November 25, 2014 at The Village here in Indianola. Mrs. White was born in Letcher, S. Dakota to Robert and Verna Titus at the farm home. She has been an Indianola resident since 1989. She graduated from Letcher High School in 1935 and went to Yankton College in Yankton, S. Dakota where she received her B.A. degree in 1939. She taught in the High Schools in Clark and Mobridge, S. Dakota before going to Kansas City, MO. ,to complete an accounting course. She worked for a public accounting firm before meeting Ralph White. They were married in 1945. Dessa soon went to Presque Isle, Maine to join Ralph who was in the service. They returned to Kansas City when Ralph received his discharge. While living there, their daughter Judith Ann was born. Dessa taught part time night school at Kansas City Junior College. She took some temporary assignments working at the main office of Western Auto and soon after was offered a full time position. She was there almost 19 years before she took early retirement at the end of 1982. During this period they had moved to Independence, MO. It was in 1989 that they finally moved to Indianola to be near their daughter and her family. Ralph went to the Good Samaritan Center in 1993. Dessa was a volunteer for 13 years, doing Bingo and helped with the Sunday afternoon services at the Indianola Good Samaritan Center. Dessa volunteered to take calls for FISH to line up rides for people. Because of macular degeneration she moved to The Village. She volunteered with Bingo at The Village until she couldn't see to do it anymore. For several years on Sunday afternoons Dessa delivered church bulletins to many residents. Her question always was "what more could I do to help?". Several years ago she began memorizing a joke to tell at devotions. She made many people smile with her jokes. When she shared a joke she committed it to memory because she couldn't see to read it. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Indianola. Dessa was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ralph in 1996 and 2 brothers and 4 sisters. Surviving is her daughter Judith Ann (Gary) Denniston of Indianola; Grandson, Mark (Christie) Denniston, granddaughter, Laura E. (Tim ) Paplow; great grandchildren, Luke Aaron Paplow, Rachel Renae Paplow and Joel Matthew Paplow. Visitation and prayer services will be held from 1:00 -3:00 p.m. Saturday Nov. 29, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church (Wesley Room) officiated by Pastor Phil Webb. Burial will follow at I.O.O.F. Memorial Gardens. Memorials will be directed to either the Good Shepherd Fund at The Village or First United Methodist Church. A Memorial Funeral Service will be held 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at The Village (Heritage Room) , 1203 N. E St officiated by The reverend Pasha Buck. Online condolences can be made to www.petersonfuneralservice.com