Laurie Jones White

Laurie Jones White 4/27/50 – 3/3/20

Laurie Jones White passed away on March 3, 2020. She was the youngest child of Alfred and Frances Jones who preceded her in death. She grew up in Dalton surrounded by lots of family because of her dad’s extended family all being in Dalton.

She graduated from Dalton High School in 1968 and always said her favorite teacher was Dot McCrory. She attended Auburn University and graduated with a degree in teaching. She returned to Dalton to work for Doug Jensen at Life Ministries before moving to Atlanta where she was a live-in counselor at a Salvation Army Girls Lodge and then for eight years worked as the secretary to the chaplain at Crawford Long Hospital.

She married Thomas Avery White from Panthersville in 1979, moved out to the country in Covington, GA and built a log house while having three children. She homeschooled the children K-12 and later taught world history at a Christian school as well as tutored adults in Newton County. She was the author of several books the chief one being King Alfred’s English, a fun history of the English language that has been used in colleges, secondary schools and countless homeschools across the country.

Laurie moved back to Dalton in 2013 and greatly enjoyed reconnecting with friends and family. She made many new friends in her neighborhood and at her church Rockbridge where she also volunteered and taught.

She was a lifelong lover of Jesus and anyone that spoke to her for more than a minute felt her vibrant spirit and unwavering positivity. She had an amazing gift of encouragement, many times calling friends of her kids to offer advice and guidance. She saw the good in everything and everyone. She could find a metaphor for Jesus’ love in almost anything. She loved stories, theology, and history and was a prolific writer and poet. She was a geek to her core and when not reading or watching something Christian could often be found reading dense fantasy or watching hard core sci-fi. She skipped work to attend the first showing of Star Wars in 1977 and in December of 2019 while dragging oxygen around and feeling really tired, attended the final film with her kids.

Laurie is survived by her children Rebecca Napier Russell (Rob), Hetty Ruth and Robert Lee White, her husband Avery, two sisters and brother in law: Fran Lewis, Henrietta and Comer Turley as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces, nephews, lots of cousins and countless friends.

Service will be Saturday, March 7th at 1pm at Rockbridge Church (Stage 123 behind the Wink theater), 123 W. Gordon Street; Dalton, GA 30720. Visitation immediately following at same location.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to: Missionary Ventures International, 1017 Maitland Center Commons Blvd, Maitland, FL 32751. Checks should say “For Haiti Schools” or to Kiva.org.