Mrs. Laura Rogers Wilhite

Wilhite, Laura Rogers, age 99 of Knoxville, passed away Saturday, January 10, 2015. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1937. Upon graduation, she taught Home Economics in Jellico, TN and was a third grade teacher at both Claxton Elementary and Sequoyah Elementary Schools. She married Melvin Bertrand Wilhite, Sr. in April of 1939. Laura was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church, Knoxville except for a brief time when she was a member of Washington Pike United Methodist Church, where she served in numerous capacities. Laura loved the Smokey Mountains and one of her greatest joys was taking her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to her “cabin in the woods” and swimming in the cold mountain streams. That love of the mountains was passed down to all her family and it still to this day is the favorite vacation spot for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren no matter which part of the country they live. She was an avid bridge player and had several bridge groups going well into her nineties. Laura was active in the Daughters of the American Revolution and served as state president. She spent her life dedicated to serving her family and her church. Laura was preceded in death by her parents, Bruce T. and Lucy Mulholland Rogers; her husband, Melvin Bertrand Wilhite, Sr.; sister, Martha E. Rogers; brother, Samuel Keener Rogers and son, James Lee Wilhite. Laura is survived by her children, Melvin Bertrand Wilhite, Jr. and wife Sally; Reverend Nancy Jane Wilhite and William Bruce Wilhite; grandsons, Melvin B. Wilhite, III, Mark E. Wilhite and Jeffrey B. ( Dawn) Wilhite; five great-grandchildren, Bay Lee Wilhite, Landon Wilhite, Christopher Castillo, Brooke Wilhite and Avery Wilhite, sister, Jane Rogers Coleman, along with numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Wednesday at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel with a funeral service to follow at 1:00 PM, Reverend Tom Seay officiating. Interment to follow at Highland Memorial Cemetery. The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to First United Methodist Church, 3316 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Online condolences may be sent to www.rosemortuary.com. Arrangements provided by Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel.

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Mrs. Laura Rogers Wilhite

December 26, 1915 - January 10, 2015