Anita Shoemaker White's Obituary
Anita White, nee Shoemaker, was born 59 years ago on Christmas morning in Binghamton, New York. She lived a simple life with her grandfather and grandmother, Fred and Flora Shoemaker, in a small four-room house on Squirrel Hill in Greene, New York.
She met her husband–to-be, Bruce White, at 15 in town and married him at 17. They traveled around the country while serving the Air Force, living one adventure after another. They have two beautiful daughters, Danielle and Casey, and one grandson, Connor.
Anita never looked down on any job or task she took on as too menial or trivial, but did her absolute best and strove for perfection in all her endeavors. She volunteered in Family Services, an Air Force service organization, while in Albuquerque, NM and worked her way up to the position of Coordinator, receiving the highest accolades from the base Commander for her efforts. While employed at Sears in Florida, she took a failing sewing machine and vacuum department and turned it in the top-producing department in the state and was invited to the Chicago Towers for corporate recognition.
Diagnosed with incurable Multiple Myeloma in 2013, she researched the disease and clinical trials available on her own. She started her chemo regimen in Baltimore-Washington Medical Center and transferred up to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where she underwent a stem cell transplant and continued chemo regimens. She always maintained a positive attitude, even joining several support groups on-line and offered encouragement to all who would listen.
She was warrior-strong, determined and refused to give up in the face of adversity. She was our hero, accomplishing what anyone who knew her could only hope to achieve in a lifetime. She was the rock and glue for both families, making sure we remained connected though separated by huge distances. We miss her terribly.
She is survived by her husband, Bruce White, her daughter Danielle and husband Jake Waugerman, her daughter Casey White and her grandson Connor Tingley, brothers-in-law, Michael and William White and sister-in-law Debbie Piperata and mother-in-law Rose White. She is also survived by her four cousins, John, Mario, Jeff and Matthew Gavazzi who served as her brothers while growing up, half-brother Marshall Moore, and half-sister Grace Wesser.
She was pre-deceased by her grandparents Fred and Flora Shoemaker, her mother Hazel Moore, Uncle Mahlon Shoemaker, Aunt Georgia Price and Aunt Kathy Gavazzi.
Donations can be made in her name to the American Cancer Society.
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