Margaret M. White, 102, of Oskaloosa, passed away on Monday, August 15, 2022, at the MHP Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa. She was born May 24, 1920, in Manilla, Iowa, the daughter of William R. and Alvina Dammann Melton. She attended Jefferson Elementary School and went on to graduate from Oskaloosa High School with the class of 1938. On December 3, 1938, she was united in marriage to Floyd White in Lancaster, Missouri.
During the first year of marriage, Margaret and Floyd lived in Newton, Iowa, where Floyd was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and drove a mail route between Newton and Oskaloosa every day. They then moved to a farm southeast of New Sharon. While living there, five children were born, Gary, Larry, Loretta, Steve and Carolyn. In 1949, they moved to Oskaloosa.
Margaret and Floyd became members of the First Presbyterian Church of Oskaloosa in 1950. Margaret was very active in the church, serving as both an Elder and President of the Woman’s Association for three terms. She received an honorary membership on The Commission of National Missions and Relations of the United Presbyterian Church. In addition to raising five children, Margaret also served as leader of a Brownie Troop and the Cub Scouts. She was a member of the YWCA Board and the President of the PTA at Jefferson Grade School. She also served as Treasurer of Mahaska County Agency on Aging and was an active member of Chapter IO, P.E.O.
After her children were raised, Margaret went to work as financial secretary at the Oskaloosa Jr. High School. She has the distinguished honor of becoming the first woman to serve on City Council and on the Park Board. In 1987 she received the Oskaloosa Chamber of Commerce “Citizen of the Year” Award. Margaret also spent many hours volunteering for Hospice in the office. If anyone were to ask, Margaret would tell them that some of her greatest joys were playing golf, going dancing with Floyd, enjoying time with other people and seeing her children and grandchildren grow up and become the type of persons of which any parent would be proud.
Her family includes her five children, Gary (Mary) White of Nevada, Iowa, Larry (Helen) White of Independence, Missouri, Loretta McCormick of Orlando, Florida, Steven (Diane) White of Smyrna, Tennessee and Carolyn Hoch of Ft. Myers Beach, Florida; ten grandchildren, David White, Steven White, Lance White, Kelley McCormick, Lynn Lea, Vicki Downing, Jennifer Smith, Audrey Lubas, Michael Ryan White, and Lindsay White; fourteen great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Floyd; her parents, a grandson, Dennis White; a sister, Betty Cuffe and a son-in-law, Larry McCormick; and daughter-in-law, Linda White.
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 19, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. in the First Presbyterian Church of Oskaloosa with Pastor Amy McGriff officiating. Burial will be in the Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Thursday after 12 noon in the Bates Funeral Chapel and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 5-7 Thursday evening to greet friends and relatives. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Music Department at the First Presbyterian Church of Oskaloosa and will be used to maintain the organ.
