Mona Lee (Forsha) White

Mona Lee Forsha was born in Salt Lake City on September 5, 1940 to June Macfarlane Forsha and Donna Done Forsha. Mona was the oldest of five children. Her younger siblings were George (died soon after birth), Marilee, Dick and Doug. Because her father worked in passenger traffic for the Union Pacific Railroad, every time he was promoted, their family moved to a different city, including Boise, ID, Kansas City, MO, Chicago, IL, and Omaha, NE.

Mona attended Central High School in Omaha. After graduating from high school in 1958, she spent the summer working at the Union Pacific Dining Lodge in West Yellowstone, MT. She had planned to attend Brigham Young University after graduating from high school, but her mother became ill while Mona was working in Montana. Mona returned to Omaha to take care of her mother and the family. Her mother died on January 25, 1959, and Mona stayed home the rest of that school year to take care of her family. Instead of attending BYU that fall, she attended the University of Omaha for a year. Then she attended BYU for two years. While at BYU she met her eternal companion Robert Norman White. After his graduation, they were married in the Los Angeles temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on July 27, 1962.

Music was always an important part of Mona’s life. She directed music in church from the time she was 12 years old. In high school and for the program bureau at BYU, she sang alto in a trio called Two Dots & a Dash. In Kearney, NE she was a founding member and associate director of the Meadowlark Chapter of Sweet Adelines, International. When her family moved to Utah, Mona joined the Salt Lake City Chapter of Sweet Adelines.

After their marriage, Mona and Robert lived for two years in Worcester, MA while Robert pursued a master’s degree. In October 1964, their son Robert “Robb” was born in Omaha. On January 1, 1965, the couple flew to Nuku’alofa, Tonga where Robert taught history and social studies at Liahona High School. They lived there for two and a half years. Their daughter Ginger was born in Tonga in March 1966.

In 1967 the family moved to Kearney, NE. Their son Brenton was born there in 1968. Mona received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Kearney State College in 1977.

Mona had a great faith in and love for her Savior. She enjoyed serving weekly in the Jordan River Temple, and held many callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In Tonga, she was a counselor in the district Relief Society presidency. In Kearney she was the Primary president and taught home study seminary. In Kearney and in Sandy, UT she was a Relief Society president. In the Draper 9th ward she served as music director.

Mona loved to travel. While living in Tonga, she and her husband traveled to Fiji and Samoa. Her favorite trip was to the Holy Land, including Israel, Egypt, and Jordan. She also enjoyed traveling to Greece, Italy, Paris and four islands in Hawaii.

Mona is preceded in death by her baby brother George, beloved mother and father Donna Done Forsha and June Macfarlane Forsha, cherished step-mother Alice Rentmeister Forsha, and sister Marilee Forsha Crandall. She is survived by her husband Robert and their two sons and daughter: Robert “Robb” (Jacque) of Longmeadow, MA; Ginger (Garrick) Hyde of Williston, ND and Brenton of Sagle, ID. She is also survived by her eight grandchildren: Audrey, Colin, Abigail, Ellery, Chloe, Alec, Hannah and Everett and eight great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers Dick (Jill) Forshay and Doug Forsha.

Mona’s funeral will be held on Saturday, February 10th, at 12:00 p.m. at the Draper 9th ward, 12353 South 600 East. A viewing will be held prior to the services from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. A viewing will also be held Friday, February 9th from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Draper chapel. Interment: Monday, February 12th at 2 p.m. at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery, 13001 South 3600 West in Riverton.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Humanitarian Aid or Missionary fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or a charity of your choice.