Katie "Kay" White

Katie (Kay) Frances White, of Bossier City, LA, died peacefully surrounded by family in her home on December 12, 2024 at the age of 93. She was born January 9th, 1931, in Chidester, AR, to Euell B. (Cooter) and Ruby (Arrington) Merritt. Kay was raised in the Camden, AR, area where she later met the love of her life, Marvin White, who stumbled into the Five and Dime Store where she worked. They married in June of 1951 and moved to San Diego while Marvin served in the Navy. While in California, their two children, Greg and Teresa, were born. After Marvin’s honorable discharge, they made their home in Camden, then Monroe, LA, and later Bossier City, LA, where Kay worked for Ninock Land as a bookkeeper.

Kay and Marvin loved to dance and were avid square dancers. They were founding members of the Activ-8-ers square dance club and instrumental in building Promenade Hall on Benton Rd. Their love of square and round dancing was shared through teaching and exhibition dancing. Together, they taught many people young and old to dance. They danced together almost 65 years. It was a beautiful sight to see them move together, without words or instruction – they simply knew and loved each other.

Kay and Marvin loved their dance and church community, which merged into a particularly large group of wonderful friends. They loved to host gatherings at their home – come one, come all, and bring whoever is with you. They spent time with their friends dancing, traveling, cruising, snowmobiling, snow skiing and enjoying life with genuine warmth and affection for others always in an entourage. They traveled to their son Greg’s home in Austin to enjoy his friends, too.

Kay was a founding member of Asbury United Methodist Church in Bossier City. She dearly loved her church. She spent years attending and serving in Sunday School, vacation Bible school and on mission trips. 

Kay had a gift of showing up for those around her. After her grandchildren, Morgan and Cooper were born to Teresa in 1983, she showed up for everything she could. She loved her time spent watching them in swim lessons, playing basketball, celebrating birthdays, and learning to ski. Cooper and Morgan spent many years riding in their travel van on whatever adventure they were on. Kay and Marvin had that one house in the neighborhood where children could be found and were always welcome. They were the neighborhood grandparents, providing cookies, juice, band-aids, hugs, and fixing bicycles.

Her later years were spent quietly surrounded by those she loved the most. Greg and Teresa were able to spend time with her traveling and being together. Kay was able to see all her great-grandchildren; and if she loved Cooper and Morgan a lot, it paled in comparison to how she loved the great-grands.

Kay is survived by her loving children Greg and Teresa; grandchildren Morgan (Kirk) Grantham and Cooper (Emily) White; great-grandchildren Gavin, Ethan and Logan Grantham, Rylan and Camden White. She was preceded in death by her cherished husband Marvin White; brothers Cecil and Tyrone Merritt; and great-granddaughter Katie Grantham. 

The family would like to thank our extended family including nieces, nephews, dance and church friends for their support. A very special thanks to Barbara Chambers for the loving care she provided Kay for the last several years and LifePath hospice for their help the last month.

Inurnment for both Kay and Marvin will be held at a later date at Asbury Methodist Church in their Columbarium.