Carmen María García Calballo White, 85
WOODSIDE - Carmen María García Calballo White passed away in her home surrounded by her family in Woodside, Delaware on Saturday, April 2, 2022. She was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 6, 1936 to Anastacio García-Rivera and Gregoria Calballo-Ortiz.
Carmen was raised in the neighborhood of Santurce in San Juan. She was a beautiful woman, and a talented professional dancer, performing on stages across the U.S. from popular music venues in San Juan to the Copacabana in New York City, New York. She was a real beauty and a mesmerizing performer. She met her future husband, James Perry White, Sr., at the age of eighteen while he was stationed in Puerto Rico with the United States Marine Corps. It was love at first sight, and after a short courtship, she married her "Jimmy" on the island. She went on to be a devoted wife and mother to six children. As a proud Marine family, they traveled throughout the United States, and they lived on many military bases while Jimmy served in the Vietnam War.
After Jimmy's retirement, they moved to Woodside, Delaware, where she was active at the Church of the Holy Cross in Dover and served as a volunteer in numerous ways – from delivering meals to the elderly and assisting women in need to supporting the migrant community and military families. In addition to the church, she was deeply involved in work at Dover Air Force Base and through the VISTA program, the American Red Cross, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion.
A devout Catholic, she was a regular at the Spanish mass, where she was often seen bringing along her children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. She instilled faith in her family and all those close to her. She was a true servant of God.
Carmen was a devoted grandmother to 21 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren, and she served as a caregiver to most as they grew up. At many points throughout the years, she had more than one of her grandchildren living with her. She was fiercely protective of them, and she had an abundance of love and loyalty to them. She and Jimmy cherished their family most of all and truly embodied the Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" – always faithful – until she took her last breath.
In addition to her parents and siblings, she was preceded in death by her husband; and beloved son, Walter Wesley White, Sr.
She is survived by her sister, Margarita Garcia Cantanese; and her children, Sharon Sáez (Rigoberto Sáez-Ortiz), James White, Jr. (Debbie), Clara Abraham (Woody Bargar), Harry White, III, and Linda Colina (Michael); her 21 grandchildren, Rigoberto, Mariel (Rory), Felipe (Allison), James III (DiAnita), Rosa, Robert (Ingrid), Justin (Nicole), Charles (Brandi), Anna (Justin), Wesley (Alexis), Gray, Marcus (Crystal), Eric (Solilagi), Elisa, Laura (Joel), Summer (Mike), Harrison, Austin, Blake, Raymond (Suzy), and Ashley (Tommy); and her 26 great grandchildren, Sara, Gabriel, Penelope, Kellen, Hadley, Nevaeh, Isabel, Alonna, Mason, Amiya, Eric, Juan, Leo, Kaiden, Emma, Alex, Ellie, M.J., Jaxon, Davis, Autumn, Caden, Alaina, Cameron, Hailey, and Skylar. She was beloved by many nieces, nephews, and their children as well as friends, including Madeline Lopez O'Brien, Wanda Lopez, Carmen Burgos de Leon, and Maria Leon who were also by her side in her final days.
Viewing Wednesday, April 6, 2022 from 6 to 8 p.m. with an evening Scripture Service at Pippin Funeral Home, Wyoming, Del. Funeral Mass Thursday, April 7, 2022, 12 Noon at the Church of the Holy Cross, 631 S. State Street, Dover, DE 19901. Interment at a later date: Tuesday, April 26, 2022, 1 p.m. at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear, Del.
Share a memory at www.pippinfuneralhome.com