https://my.gather.app/remember/mary-white-mar-2025

Early Monday morning, March 31, 2025, Mary White became absent from the body to be present with the Lord.

Mary Holliday, (106 years, 10 months, 1 week, and 3 days), was born on May 21, 1918 (Yes, 1918!), to the late Henry and Martha Scott Holliday.  Praise God for her 106 years here on God's mother earth!

At just 9 years old, in September 1926, Mary gave her hand to Reverend G. L. Davis at Shady Grove Baptist Church and gave her heart to God. She remained a faithful member of that church for the rest of her life.

Mary attended the old Lightfoot School in Orange County, Virginia, until it burned down. She then continued her education through the lessons life taught her.

On February 18, 1937, Mary married the love of her life, Denver (Jim) White.  They were faithful parents who raised three sons, who are brothers:  Thomas, Reverend Frederick, and Rommell Sales.  You would never have known that they were not her natural children.

She was lovingly known as "Foots" by people throughout Orange County and nearby areas. She traveled with the Shady Grove Four, a gospel group formed in December 1948 at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Orange County. Foots had a beautiful alto voice and sang with the group for over 41 years, remaining the last surviving member of the original quartet.

For many years, Foots worked as a domestic engineer in Georgetown, Washington, DC.  In the mid-1960s, Jim and Foots built their new home in Spotsylvania County, just a few miles from the Orange County line, giving them an Orange, Virginia, mailing address.

Even beyond her 100 years, Sister White was extremely independent and had a very strong determination.  You could see her riding her lawn mower to cut the grass and climbing a ladder to clean her gutters.  When she tried to deny cleaning the gutters, there was cell phone picture evidence to prove otherwise.  When someone pulled out a cell phone, she would say, "There y'all go with that phone," in an unhappy voice.

Foots had a deep love for her family and was the caregiver for her son, Rommell, until she was hospitalized in March 2025. She had a quiet, loving spirit that everyone admired. Her hair had to be just right—if it wasn't, she wouldn't go anywhere! Foots also loved plants and flowers, enjoyed wearing jewelry, and had a sweet tooth for pound cakes and desserts. She always kept her house spotless and loved preparing for and spending time with family and friends, especially during Labor Day weekends. She was an amazing cook and baker, and her specialty was white potato pie. Foots was generous too, sharing her baked goods, canned vegetables, and homemade preserves with family, friends, and her community. It's clear that God—and maybe her avoidance of junk food—helped keep her feeling young at 106!

Even after she fell down her basement steps and sustained injury, Mary's family begged her not to go down there again, but she would have none of it. "Y'all leave me alone," she said. "I'm gonna do what I want." That strong, independent spirit never left her.

Foots carried that same strong determination into her Faith Walk.  She loved church and doing things for others.  During revival times and special services, you would find her at Shady Grove or sister churches in the mornings and in the afternoon.  If there was a service at night the same day, you would find her there.  She was a devoted, dedicated, faithful Christian.

Mary was pre-deceased by her parents, Henry and Martha Holliday; her husband, Denver White; and her brother, John Holliday, Sr.

Leaving to continue in her Faith Walk are sons, Thomas, the Reverend Frederick (Sharon), and Rommell Sales; nephew, John Holliday, Jr. (Judy); niece, Shirley Holliday Williams; grandchildren, Fred Sales, Jr., Danitah Sales-Venable (Jerry), and Rommell Sales, Jr.; special cousins, Betty Ann Scott, Robin Cooke, and Eric Cooke; along with many other cousins, family, friends and her beloved Shady Grove Church Family.

To the White family, we at  D. D. Watson offer our most sincere sympathy and condolences. Our prayer continues to be that your abiding faith in God will lend to you a measure of comfort that will strengthen and sustain you during your time of sorrow.