Mabel Joyce Person White

Mabel Joyce Persons White, 80, died on January 18, 2022 after a short hospitalization with COVID-19 pneumonia and long bout with a rare form of leukemia. Born November 22, 1941, in Columbus, GA, she was the daughter of Tommie Person and Annie (Brown) Person. She was an honors graduate from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, MI and studied nursing at Howard University’s Freedmen’s Hospital School of Nursing where she was a member of Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority, Inc. and Student Council President.

After graduating from nursing school in 1963, she worked in Detroit before relocating to Atlanta. After graduating with her master’s degree from the College of St. Francis, she became one of the first Black nurse anesthetists securing a position at Grady Memorial Hospital. During her professional career she put patients to sleep for surgery at Physicians and Surgeons Hospital, Southwest Hospital, Atlanta Hospital, and Windy Hill Hospital prior to her retirement. Outside of the operating room, she served as an officer of the Howard University Alumni Association/Atlanta and was a supporter of countless community initiatives. She championed and advocated for not only her children and grandchildren but countless children through various ministries at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, the South Dekalb YMCA, Lakeside High School, Howard University, Morehouse College and Atlanta Youth Academy.

For those that knew her, she was an avid reader, loved watching her favorite channel, which was the Hallmark Channel because she loved love stories. She rarely missed an episode of the Young and the Restless and the Bold and the Beautiful. She read the newspaper daily and did the crossword puzzles- in ink. Mabel was family oriented and never met a stranger. She would truly give you the shirt off her back. She constantly stayed connected with family and friends from coast to coast.

She is survived by her sister Lucy (Person) Mapp, her children Meredith (Cynthia), Paula, and Keith (Trina). She is the proud grandmother of Christopher White (Joy), Joshua White, Keythe Gentry, Blake Gentry, Tyler White, Kendall White, Kayden White, a great grandson, Joshua Jr. and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins.

The family asks for your prayers at this time. Due to the cautions of the COVID era, Mabel will be remembered with a virtual celebration of life on February 5th at 3 pm. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Mabel J. White to the American Cancer Society.