Thelma Lee Tucker Medlin White

Robert A. Waters Funeral Home

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | February 04, 2021

Thelma Lee Tucker Medlin White was born to James and Mabel Biggs Tucker, on October 30, 1928, in Moon Run, Pa. She was the oldest of 5 siblings. She departed this life peacefully in McKeesport, Pa., on January 30, 2021, with family at her bedside. In her final weeks of life, she was never without a hand to hold or a kind word to be spoken to her. Thelma’s daughter, Deborah, provided loving care and support for 10 years prior to the onset of greater illness.

Thelma is preceded in death by brothers Samuel (Jr.) Jones and Robert (Bobby) Jones; sister Dorothy McCoy; grandson Frederick D. Brown Jr.; great grandson Frederick Malcolm Brown-Goodwine. 

Thelma was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great great grandmother, sister and aunt. She leaves to mourn:  sister - Betty Mahaley (Long Beach, Calif.); children - Clara (Fred) Medlin Brown, Deborah White Horriat, Gary (Sylvia) White, Samuel V. White; grandchildren – Gregory (Tracey) Medlin, Marjorie Brown Adams, Gemil (Regis) White-Morse, Jamaal White, Michael (Olesia) White, Tonya (Timothy) Caldwell, Leandra Ferguson and Terry Ferguson; 24 great grandchildren and 9 great-great grandchildren, with one on the way. She leaves beloved nieces and nephews to mourn her passing, as well as, a host of friends.

Thelma White step-laddered her way into the field of nursing. She was a nurse’s aide, an LPN and receive her BSN from Penn State University, where she was deemed an honors student. In the pursuit of her education, she moved to Delaware to obtain a Masters in Gerontology. She received her master’s in nursing from the University of Delaware and presented her papers at a Veteran’s Administration Conference in Los Angeles, Calif.

Thelma devoted her life to caring for others, both on a professional level and as a volunteer. She was employed as a nurse in many diverse settings and across many age groups. She was Director of Nursing at Lock Haven Extended Care Facility in Lock Haven, Pa.; Nursing Supervisor at the VA facilities in Aspinwall, Pa., Altoona, Pa. and in Wilmington, Del. Her professional affiliation was Chi Eta Phi.

Thelma White was a seasoned Spades player and taught her children and grandchildren the fine art of the game. We can still hear her say “I’m going to put a little English on that!”. She belonged to a card club, a book club, the Sunshine Club and Helping Hands. Through the Sunshine Club and Helping Hands, Thelma sought to give back to the community.  

In retirement, she volunteered to tutor children at Francis McClure School; worked as a private duty a nurse for a ventilator dependent infant; started a business, with her son Sam, to become the owner operator of Angelic Enterprises, a home health care nursing agency. She also employed her daughter Clara, through this agency, and advanced many family members to board positions.  Because of her nursing skill with infants and attention to detail, she can be credited with saving the life of one of her great grandchildren, who would have died of sudden infant death syndrome, had she not been present.  She always made time to care for grandchildren and great grandchildren when the need arose. She even cared for Mr. Rodgers, famed personality on “Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood”, during the final days of his life. She marveled that he was one of nicest people she had ever met.

Thelma had a creative spark. She completed and published a work of fiction entitled “Consequential Secrets”. She loved to travel abroad and cruise. The height of her travel was a five (5) country tour, presented to her by her sons, which included trips to the pyramids and cruising down the Riviera on her birthday. Her understanding and practice of theology was not complicated. In her last days, when asked “What is your favorite Christian song?” – she replied “Jesus Loves Me This I Know”. In the throws of impending death, she called on Jesus, who loved her, to help her and stated “I want to go where the good people go.”

Thelma White has gone where the good people go. We will strive to go “where the good people go” and see her again.

Arrangements are in charge of Robert A. Waters Funeral Home Inc.

Friday
February 5, 2021
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
New Life Ministries
312 Viola Avenue
Duquesne, PA 15110

Friday
February 5, 2021
12:00 PM
New Life Ministries
312 Viola Avenue
Duquesne, PA 15110

Originally published February 04, 2021.

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