Carol White

Carol White, age 71, of Thornton, Colorado passed away on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Born Carol Lynn Dotson in Pueblo, Colorado on April 2, 1953 to Donald and Twylah Dotson, she was the middle of 5 daughters. Carol spent her childhood in Pueblo and Colorado Springs. The family moved to Palisade, Colorado where Carol graduated from high school in 1971. She also graduated from Bethany College (now Southern Nazarene University) in Oklahoma City in 1975. Her major was Home Economics with emphasis in Early Childhood Development.

She was previously married to Jeryl Hutchison of Wynoka, Oklahoma. They had two sons. Carol's entire adult life was dedicated to her passion of helping children and families get the services and education they needed. She owned a preschool in Wynoka. After moving to Grand Junction, Colorado in 1985 she continued teaching preschool until she began working for Mesa County Department of Social Services. She worked on the most severe child abuse cases, not only helping protect the children, but working with parents to try to prevent abuse.

Carol married Dick White in 1996, giving him an instant family with two teenage boys. She moved to Arvada, Colorado with Dick where she continued working for Mesa County Social Services on a contract basis doing face-to-face visits with children in the county's custody in treatment facilities all over eastern Colorado.

Carol and Dick moved to Redvale, Colorado in 2001. Carol became executive director of a non-profit (Bright Futures) based in Telluride which focused on coordinating services and providing funding for education, mental health, and other social services for families with young children in six counties of southwest Colorado.

Carol and Dick returned to Denver in 2009 for Dick's work. She was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disease, PSP (progressive supranuclear palsy) in 2011. This cruel disease robbed her over time of many aspects and abilities of her life. It took her from an expert in her field to being unable to leave home for the last 5 years. She stood positive and was never angry or bitter about her situation.

Before her illness, she loved traveling with Dick. They did local day and weekend trips wherever they lived and longer vacations. She enjoyed seeing other parts of the country, particularly coastal areas, including Hawaii, Florida, and especially New England. Among their favorites were New Port, RI and the Hamptons.

All who knew Carol saw her as sharp, quick, witty, humorous, very intelligent, compassionate, and kind, especially kind. She was a great sister, an incredible mother, and an unbelievably perfect match as a wife to Dick.

Carol was preceded in death by her sons Ryan Hutchison (July 16, 2021) and Jerod Hutchison (January 15, 2023). She is survived by her husband Dick White of Thornton, her grandson Ramsey Hutchison of Las Vegas, NV, and her four sisters; Barbara Reese (St. Louis, MO), Marlene Ashton (Markleville, IN), Debbie Wertz and Amy Gomez (both Grand Junction, CO).

Donations can be made in Carol's name to CurePSP.org