Geraldine White

Geraldine Knight White, 82, of Mahomet, passed away Saturday, April 23, 2022 in her home. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 21, 1939, Geraldine was the first daughter of Mildred McKee and Ira Lynn Knight. Gerry grew up in Old Hickory, Tennessee, graduating from Dupont High School in 1957.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Southern at Memphis, now known as Rhodes College in 1960.

She married Thomas H Patton, Jr. and they moved to Champaign, Illinois, where she started her teaching career with the fifth grade class in White Heath School.  Thomas H Patton III was born in May,1968 and the family returned to Tennessee, where she taught in the Mt. Juliet schools. While working and parenting, Geraldine earned her Masters in Education, in 1977, and Specialist in Education, in 1981, from Middle Tennessee State College in Murphysboro. 

She married James E White at Mt Juliet in August 4,1984 and they returned to rural Seymour, Illinois where she again taught in the Monticello School District, until retiring in 1994. They moved to Mahomet in 2014, where she continued to support public libraries, and had more than a passing interest in politics.  

Wherever she lived, Geraldine was active in her church - Cook’s UMC in Mt Juliet and Mahomet UMC.  For many years, she coordinated the preparation of funeral dinners.

She leaves behind her husband James, son and daughter-in-law Tom and Joy Patton, beloved granddaughter Karis Patton, all of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, and sister Josephine and brother-in-law Charles Hirschman of Seattle, Washington.

A Celebration of Life visitation will be held on Saturday, April, 30th 2022 from 9-11am with a memorial service to follow at 11 at Mahomet United Methodist Church 1302 E. South Mahomet Rd. Mahomet, IL. 61853. Geraldine’s inurnment will be held at Milton Cemetery in Milton, TN. on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 11am.

The family has entrusted Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center 1102 Churchill Rd in Mahomet, Illinois with her cremation.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Friends of the Mahomet Library or Mahomet United Methodist Church. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.