Mrs. Belva Pauline White

Belva White passed away at HospiceCare on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, wrapped in the love of family and friends. She had suffered a stroke on August 24, 2010. Born in Platteville in 1920, the year women got the right to vote, and named after Belva Lockwood, the first woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and an early candidate for U.S. President, Belva Jackson was destined to be a spirited woman. She grew up on farms near Rewey and Mifflin, the elder daughter of Foster and Gladys (Cobb) Jackson. She graduated from Mineral Point High School and earned a bachelor's degree in home economics from The Stout Institute (now UW-Stout) in Menomonie. At Stout, she met Russell White who became her loving husband and partner in raising five children. She taught science and home economics at Verona High School, founded and operated Hilltop Nursery School in McFarland, and worked at the Salvation Army and Methodist Hospital in Madison. She retired from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections as a probation and parole officer. Later, she worked at Kathy's Kiddie Kare in Waunakee and helped develop and run Sonrisas Adult Family Home for the elderly in Verona before retiring again at age 85. Belva was a woman of character and energy, with a kind heart and a keen mind. She gave her children the gift of independence with unconditional love and support. She encouraged them to be who they were, do what they wished, and go where they wanted without interference. She was a treasure whose example and counsel will sustain family and friends forever. Belva was preceded in death by her parents; husband; infant daughter, Dorothy; brothers, Kenneth and Homer Jackson; grandson, Kirk Hinzman; and son-in-law, Bill Murray. She is survived by her brother, Melvin Jackson of Mineral Point; brother, Earl (Norma) Jackson of Punta Gorda, Fla.; sister, Dorothy (Don) Hyde of Viola; son, Wesley (Brenda) White of Onalaska; daughter, Kathy Hinzman of Verona; son, Larry (Ginny) White of Madison; daughter, Margy Murray of Salem, Va.; and son, Tim (Karen) White of Springdale. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Kara (Ken), Hunter, and Connor Plaks of Alexandria, Va.; Shai (Ben) White-Gilbertson of Memphis, Tenn.; Heidi (Jamie) Murray Smith of Washington, D.C.; Krissa (Ricardo), Mara, and Marco Calderon of Valladolid, Spain; Brandon (Brenda), Nathan, and Nicholas White of Onalaska; and Will Murray of Madison. She is further survived by many cherished nieces, nephews, and friends. We're grateful that she was given 90 years because she made better use of them than others might. She filled them with hard work, extraordinary accomplishments, laughter, compassion, and love. She showed us that if something can be dreamed, it can be done. Her final act of generosity was to donate her body to the UW-Madison Medical School as a teaching tool for future doctors. A memorial service for Belva will be held at DIVINE SAVIOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 5702 S. Hill Drive, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 18, 2010. Visitation with Belva's family will start at 10 a.m. Memorials may be directed to HospiceCare, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711. Memorials: Memorials may be directed to HospiceCare, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711. Visitation: Visitation with Belva's family will start at 10 a.m. Service: A memorial service for Belva will be held at DIVINE SAVIOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 5702 S. Hill Drive, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 18, 2010.