Catharine Pearson White

Catharine Pearson White passed away after a four-year battle with Dementia at her home in Baton Rouge on September 3. Catharine was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grand mother and a friend to many. She was born in St Louis on December 11, 1931 and raised in Alexandria where she met her husband of 62 years, Otey L. White Jr. Catharine and Otey lived in Alexandria, New Orleans, Houston, Memphis, and Baton Rouge and raised five children along the way. She was a 1948 graduate of Bolton High School and a 1985 graduate of the University of Memphis (she was the older lady who sat on the front row and knew all the answers). She was a homemaker and successful real estate agent and active in many civic and philanthropic organizations including the Delphians, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts. Catharine was also a volunteer docent at the old Louisiana State Capital in honor of her great grandfather Joseph Walker, the 13th Governor of Louisiana. She also served on the boards of various garden clubs and welcome committees and was a very active Catholic church member in every city in which she lived. She is survived by her children: Laura Wright Crawford (Alan) of Houston, Otey L. White III (Susan) of Baton Rouge, Harriet White Deaton (Tim) of Memphis, and Jack Kavanaugh White II (Angelina Thibodeaux) of Baton Rouge; seven grandchildren: Catharine McAndrews Montalbano (Joe) of Houston, Blake Kavanaugh Deaton (Emily) of Germantown, Tennessee, Pearson Elliott Deaton (Kyra) of New Orleans, Otey Benjamin White of Austin, Texas, Andrew Walker Deaton of New Orleans, William Reiser White of New Orleans and Emily Elizabeth White of Fort Worth, Texas; and five great grandchildren: Joseph William Montalbano, Jr., Laura Catharine Montalbano, and Phillip William Montalbano of Houston and Walker Lee Deaton and Kavanaugh Webb Deaton of Germantown, TN. She was proceeded in death by her parents Harrie Wheeler Pearson and Elizabeth Simmons Thill and daughter Catharine White Laird. Catharine had a heart of gold and was especially fond of animals. She had number of cats that kept her entertained and happy and she would never turn away a dog or a cat without a home, especially on a cold night. She was a devoted member of St George Catholic Church and very proud of the new church. Because of her loyalty to these causes we ask that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Friends of the Animals or St. George Catholic Church. The family would like to give special thanks to Hospice of Baton Rouge and especially Suzie Boudinot, who has been there during trying times for both of our parents. We’d also like to thank the staff and care givers at the Pearl at Jamestown who kept Catharine in good spirits during her final days.

Visitation will be held at St George Catholic Church on Friday, September 9 at 3:00 PM with a funeral mass to follow at 4:00 and internment in the St. George Cemetery.