Tommie Lee White Sr.

Mr. Tommie Lee White Sr., 106, passed away peacefully on September 24, 2023, at St. Francis Eastside in Greenville, SC. Tommie Lee was born in Possum Kingdom on August 9, 1917, to James and Edith White.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Edith White, and three sisters, Helen Williams, Annie Lou Greggs, and Lizzette Greene.

Tommie Lee White Sr. was a loving father of nine children. He was preceded in death by three sons and two daughters, Richard White, Roger White, William White, Azalean White, and Daisy (Willie) Carter. He is survived by four sons, Lawrence (Nancy) Durant, Tommie Lee Jr. (Quincella) White, David (Linda) White, and James (Deborah) White. Tommie Lee Sr. was a grandfather of 21 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and 24 great-great-grandchildren.

Tommie Lee Sr. came from a hard-working loving family who taught him love, discipline, and independence. His children described him as a good father who made sure they went to church every Sunday and were taken care of while he was working out of town. They said their father was like a train that led the pack, he set a good example of how to work hard and support yourself through life. He bought his children many gifts and made sure they were happy. His son vividly remembers his dad giving him his first bicycle, a Westinghouse, for Christmas when he was ten years old.

He worked on his parent's farm as a young person, which enabled him to learn many skills that he used to operate his own successful concrete finishing business, which he ran for over sixty years. Tommie Lee Sr. was proud of his business and was recognized for his accomplishments in various businesses throughout the local town. His career allowed him to travel to other states and out of the country to Puerto Rico, which always excited him. He loved to meet new people and mentor young men who were interested in pursuing the same career path as him.

After retiring, Tommie Lee Sr. ran a small store from his home. He sold drinks, snacks, and other small items to pass the time. Because he worked most of his life, he always liked to stay busy and find ways to make money.

Tommie Lee Sr. loved the outdoors, and in his spare time, he'd work in his yard, sit on his porch and enjoy the outside views, and go for walks. He also enjoyed watching Western television shows and movies.

His greatest joy of all was spending time with his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. He loved to tell stories of his childhood and his travels with his job. Tommie Lee Sr. was kind and generous to his family and always gave wise words of wisdom that they cherished. He loved advising his young grandchildren with his knowledge and experience about faith and life. They appreciated learning everything they could from him.

Tommie Lee White Sr. was blessed to live such a long, fun-filled, life. He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him, and his memories and spirit will live on in the hearts of his family and friends.

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