Mona White

Mona Rae White, age 92, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, passed peacefully on July 25th, 2023. She was born to Allen Wrex and Evelyn Marcella Smithson in Luling, Texas, on September 8th, 1930.

Mona was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years, Rev. Wallace Filmore White, her parents, her brother Allen Wrex Smithson, Jr., and one grandchild Michelle Suzanne Gilliam White. She is survived by her sons Robert (Becky) White, Stephen (Barbara) White, Granger Narara, and Reggie Narara, her grandchildren D. Shellie (Evan) Hyser, Christy (Pete) Selvig, Robert (Angie) White, Karen (Travis) Olmstead, Nigel (Kristen) Narara, and Duane Narara, 19 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Mona grew up scooping Mayhaw berries from the bayou with her big brother and running them home to make jelly with her mother. In school, she enjoyed singing in the choir, marching with the pep band, and making new friends. She developed an early interest in poetry and wrote often for school publications. All throughout her life, Mona had a deep love for the creative arts shared by her children and grandchildren. Even though communication was difficult in her last days, she knew the words to every song she had sung to each of them and spent the final visits singing just like in the younger days.

Mona attended Southern Nazarene University (SNU) in OKC before beginning her missionary journey. Mona and Wallace were missionaries in Papua New Guinea from 1959 to 1992. They planted many churches and helped start a hospital in Kudjip, a remote part of the PNG highlands that now boasts a residential wing named after them. They also founded missionary work in the Solomon Islands in 1992 until their retirement to Colorado in 1995.

After the passing of her husband in 2008, Mona continued her mission work at her assisted living residence for the next 13 years. She coordinated weekly services and speakers, led bible studies, and joined the choir. She was voted Ms. Winslow Court for one of the years she was in residence. Mona spent her days at Winslow Court rekindling her passionate pursuit of oil painting, writing poetry, and music. Her love of serving others never waned as she continued serving the Lord until her last breath.

Mona leaves a rich legacy to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A legacy of love, passionate pursuits of one’s hobbies, love for Jesus, and service to others. Her family and extended family around the world rests in the joy of the knowledge that on July 25^th, 2023, Mona walked into the embrace of Jesus after living out the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV), “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”