Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....White, Louise Myers May 27, 2022
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Robert Woolfitt http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008401 August 13, 2022, 12:53 pm

H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments  May 30, 2022
Louise “Tookie” White left us on May 27, 2022 after succumbing to Alzheimer’s 
Disease. Louise was born in Norfolk, Virginia on April 15, 1941. She attended 
Norview High School and Old Dominion University, and was a cheerleader at both 
schools. For more than four decades, she was an elementary school and middle 
school teacher in the Virginia Beach City Schools. Gregarious and outspoken, she 
would tell anyone (really, anyone, in almost any conversation) that she had been a 
science teacher for 40+ years. Following her retirement in 2002, she continued to 
serve as a substitute teacher when she was not babysitting and tutoring her 
beloved grandchildren.

Tookie was immensely proud of her students, who often showed up at her home 
decades later, lauding her quirky and memorable teaching style. They recount 
stories of her comedic tangents, that she would calm kids down by leading them in 
yoga, or many other unforgettable pranks and offbeat modes of instruction. Most of 
all, they told stories of her extraordinary kindness toward them. Tookie had a 
gift of recognizing the bird with the broken wing; she could spot a bullied or 
neglected child and always went to great lengths to help that child navigate a 
difficult time. Even today, her former students (now middle-aged adults) recount 
stories of her extreme care for them - ranging from giving them clothes to feeding 
them to getting them a haircut when a parent had not paid close enough attention. 
She made a significant difference in these children’s lives.

Tookie volunteered in many capacities, serving on the Job’s Daughters as a girl, 
organizing fundraisers for the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, 
serving on the advisory board for Young Life, and directing various children’s 
plays at Linkhorn Park Elementary School, Virginia Beach Middle School, and 
Virginia Beach United Methodist Church. For several years, she taught and raised 
funds for wildlife preservation and endangered species, encouraging animal welfare 
advocacy through her science classes. She was an avid gardener, and often could be 
seen in front of her house, tending to her flower beds and lawn. She jogged and 
was one of the few female members of Wareing’s Gym - well before it became 
fashionable. She was a feminist before most people had heard the word. She surfed 
and bodysurfed, and taught her youngest grandchild how to boogie board when she 
was in her late 70s.

Tookie was married to Robert H. (Bob) White for 34 years. Following their divorce, 
she continued to take ownership of his role in the surfing industry. She may not 
have wanted to stay married to Bob, but she was not about to give up her 
rightfully earned place-by-proxy in the surf legend hall of fame. Tookie’s 
identity was unwaveringly tied to her family, including him. Tookie’s emphasis on 
academics and curiosity extended to her children, Kent and Marney, who followed in 
her footsteps and became educators themselves.

Tookie was extremely creative, absolutely hilarious, and generous of her time and 
energy. When someone was in need - a stranger or even a frenemy - she would drop 
everything to help them. She loved other people, and she was loved by them. 
(Unless she was reprimanding a stranger for misbehaving in public - something her 
inner teacher led her to do with some frequency.) She was unique, magnetic, and 
fiercely loyal; she was never hesitant to give a piece of her mind, especially 
when she was standing up for someone she loved. It was not hard to figure out what 
she was thinking — her heart was very much on her sleeve. And hers was a very big 
heart.

Louise is preceded in death by her parents, Gage and Shirley Myers, and her 
sister, Shirley Predom. Survivors include a brother, Henry Myers; her ex-husband, 
Bob White; her son and daughter-in-law, Kent and Norma White; her daughter and 
son-in-law, Marney White and Erik Mayville; grandchildren Victoria, Christian, 
Emerson, Delaney, and Lane; and thousands of former students whom she treated as 
family. She made a profound difference to all of us. She is already deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Louise M. White Memorial 
Scholarship fund at Old Dominion University. This scholarship will support first 
generation, low income students in the College of Education. To donate, please use 
this link:https://tinyurl.com/35jx4s5e

The family will receive friends Tuesday, May 31, 2022 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at H.D. 
Oliver Funeral Apts., Laskin Road Chapel. A Graveside service will be held at 
Elmwood Cemetery, 238 E Princess Anne Rd, Norfolk 23510, on Wednesday, June 1, 
2022, at 1:00 PM. A celebration of life will be held at the family home in 
Virginia Beach after the services. Online condolences may be offered to the family 
at hdoliver.com.

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