WEST COLUMBIA – Emily Sue Dawson White was born June 1, 1938 in West Columbia, SC and passed away on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. She was a daughter of the late Thomas Theodore Dawson, Sr. and Gertrude Lynch Dawson. She graduated from Brookland Cayce High School and attended the University of South Carolina. She was a member of Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church and was married for almost 45 years to Owens Lamar White, until his passing in 2001. Ms. White was employed by the University of South Carolina for over 50 years where she assisted head football coaches, baseball coaches and Athletics Directors at South Carolina since 1967, working with ten Athletics Directors during her tenure. She was considered the matriarch and “First Lady” of Carolina Athletics and was inducted into the University’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. Ms. White was recognized as the Lexington County Fan of the Year in 2010-11 by the Lexington County Gamecock Club. Upon her retirement, she was honored by the South Carolina Senate for “forty-five years of outstanding and selfless service to the University of South Carolina Athletics Department and for her undying devotion to Gamecock sports” in a resolution dated June 5, 2012. Following her retirement, Ms. White continued to work part-time in the executive offices of the Athletics Department. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church with Rev. Wade Roof officiating. A private burial will be held in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends after the service at 1:00 p.m. at The Zone at Williams Brice Stadium. Parking will be off Key Road. Memorials may be made to Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church, the Gamecock Club or a charity of one’s choice. Ms. White is survived by her sister, Margaret D. Jumper; brother-in-law, Johnny White (Judy); nephews, Tommy T. Dawson III (Judy) of West Columbia; Brad A. Dawson (Deborah) of Columbia; nieces, Sherry D. Jones (John) of Mt. Pleasant, Jennifer (Brent) of Wilmington, NC; great nephews/nieces; Tom and Chris Dawson, Amber Dawson, Michelle Lee, Hannah Jones, Maura and Addison Kitchens and great-great niece, Vera Dawson. She was predeceased by her brother, Thomas T. Dawson, Jr. (and Margie) and brother-in-law, Craig Jumper.
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