Good News
A Well-Deserved Recognition
Recognition
Josephine has been in Care Inn’s care since September 2021, and many of their employees and staff have seen her dedication to her past, so much so that they thought it was time she was honored for it. “One of our certified nursing assistants mentioned it to our therapist Brenda Johnson. When she brought the idea to me I said, ‘Let’s do it!’ She deserves to be celebrated for her accomplishments. Ms. White has been a big part of the La Grange and Fayette County community for a long time and deserves the recognition and accolades for all her accomplishments,” said Chandra Polk the administrator for Care Inn.
Born in Cisco, Texas, in 1920, Josephine was the eldest of four children and played a significant role in raising her siblings. She graduated from Beeville High School in 1938, completing business school college credit courses during her senior year. Shortly after, she moved to San Antonio and began working as a medical secretary, starting what would become a long and successful career in the medical field throughout Texas. In 1940, she married Melvin White, and together they had three sons, though tragically, their youngest passed away from polio at the age of three.
Genealogy and
Texas History
Not only is she a writer but also a passionate genealogist, which she started in her early twenties. A proud sixthgeneration Texan, she has dedicated countless hours to genealogical research and the preservation of rural cemeteries where she traced her roots back to Fayette County when she saw the name of her maternal great-great-grandfather, John Wesley Scallorn, at the San Jacinto Monument in the 1960s.
He fought in the battle of San Jacinto and later he and his brother Elam died in the Salado Creek massacre near San Antonio both of which are buried in the tomb at Monument Hill on the bluff. John Wesley Scallorn’s father Dr. Stephen Scallorn, a native of Maryland, followed John Wesley Scallorn to Texas, around 1837-38, settling in Bastrop County. Stephen lived to be 100 years old. As she approached 100, Josephine often referred to him as the oldest known of our family ancestors.
Finding Home in
Fayette County
It seemed inevitable that White would eventually settle in Fayette County after finding out about Scallorn, and she did so in the mid-1990s when she moved to La Grange. This book would not have been possible without the help of Sue Holt, White’s neighbor at the time and the smartest friend she ever had.
White said she couldn’t have done it without Holt because she was the one who had put her book on her computer and found the publisher.
“Fortunately, I had computer skills,” Holt said. “Whenever Jo had trouble with her computer or software, I would go over and fix it. Occasionally, she would ask me to read a section or chapter she was working on often at night when I was already in my pajamas. But that never stopped me. I’d hop in my golf cart and be at her house within minutes. Those late-night visits were some of the best.”
A Legacy of Determination
White’s grandson, Scottson White, has always admired how she continues to pursue and work on what she finds interesting in life despite her advancing years and other limitations.
“My grandmother has been blessed with an amazing memory. Well into her later years, she could remember details of events from 50 to 75 years in the past. She loves to tell stories about growing up in the 1920s and 1930s. Partly in conjunction with her book, she has chronicled her life story and many of the memorable events along the way. She says that many people have led more exciting lives than hers, but she has written down the stories of her life.”
Scottson fondly recalls one of his grandmother’s memories which is a testament to her determination and love for reading and writing.
“My grandmother said that writing her book was the hardest thing she’s ever done, except for teaching herself to read at the age of four because when she was around five, her family drove up from Beeville to George West, the county seat of Live Oak County around 1925. Her father wanted to attend a much-publicized trial at the courthouse. My grandmother recalls finding that the courthouse was the depository for schoolbooks over the summer months. She asked the librarian to check out a ‘reader’ but the librarian didn’t believe she could read or at least not at the 4th-grade level of the reader. The librarian asked her to prove that she could read. My grandmother recalls taking the reader and demonstrating her reading ability. Only then was she allowed to check it out.”
A Life Still in Motion
At 104 years old, White continues to inspire those around her.
The staff at Care Inn witness firsthand the wisdom, creativity, and resilience embodied by the older generation.
“The fact that, at 104, she still dedicates an hour or two each day to researching her lineage is truly inspiring,” said Polk. “She reminds us all that it’s never too late to make an impact, pursue something new, or bring a passion project to life.”
I was lucky enough to visit with Josephine at Care Inn and hear her stories.
Her room looked more like a living archive of her lifelong research than someone who is 104 years old.
Time may have etched its lessons into her skin, but her heart and memories still dance to the rhythm of her youth. For we are only as young as we feel, and for Josephine, I believe she will be forever young.
(great-grandson), Anne White (granddaughter), Daniel White (son), Mary Gunn (granddaughter), Josephine White, Scottson White (grandson), Sara White (granddaughter-in-law), Seth Gunn (grandson-in-law), Clark White (great-grandson), Shepherd Gunn (great-grandson), Carter White (great-grandson), Patrick White (great-grandson), Oliver Gunn (great-grandson).