— courtesy VGCC

VGCC scholarship endowed by local funeral home

A new Vance-Granville Community College scholarship has been endowed by J.M. White Funeral Home of Henderson in memory of its namesake and co-founder, Jerry Marshall White Sr.

His widow and co-owner of the funeral home, Betty Oakes White, said that the family sought to create the scholarship because “education is the future for our children, and we want everyone to be able to get an education.” She noted that higher education in particular is more important than ever to allowing area residents to obtain gainful employment.

In awarding the Jerry Marshall White Sr. Memorial Academic Achievement Scholarship, preference will be given to students who are enrolled in VGCC’s Accounting and Business Administration programs.

Although this is the first scholarship that the business has endowed, J.M. White Funeral Home is a longtime supporter of the annual VGCC Endowment Fund Golf Tournament. “This community has been good to us, so we support our community,” Betty White said.

J.M. White Funeral Home was established in 1967 as Waite and White Funeral Home. Jerry M. White Sr. became the sole owner of the business in 1971, and the name was changed. After his death, the business continued to serve families in the area under the direction of J. Hillman Dickerson, who was supported by a loyal and professional staff. With the help of that staff, Jerry’s wife, Betty, gradually took over as manager of the funeral home, eventually becoming a licensed funeral director herself. Following in their father’s tradition of dignified service, Mr. and Mrs. White’s sons, Jerry White Jr. and Gregory Scott White, came into the business after gaining their education in funeral service. The funeral home has been operating at its current location on Zeb Robinson Road in Henderson since 1989.

“This scholarship is a wonderful tribute to J.M. White and to the half-century of service that the funeral home bearing his name has given to this community,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC. “We appreciate the White family’s support for VGCC students, which will make a difference for generations to come.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,800 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information about the Endowment Fund, call (252) 738-3409.

–VGCC–