Bettie June White, 80, Osawatomie, died Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, in Olathe Medical Center. She had undergone major heart surgery several weeks earlier.

Born Sept. 10, 1924, in Kansas City, Mo., she was the oldest of the two daughters of Joseph Forest and Rose Marie Tinder Duncan. In June of 1939, the family moved to Osawatomie. She was a 1941 graduate of Osawatomie High School and served as class secretary for more than 40 alumni years.

On Nov. 14, 1941, she and Donald D. White Sr. were married in Cohokia, Ill. They became the parents of four children and lived many years in Osawatomie.

Mrs. White worked at the Osawatomie Graphic, a weekly newspaper, for 35 1/2 years. She began working at the Graphic in November 1958 and retired in May 1994. During that time, she had seen many changes in the production of a newspaper. Prior to that, she had worked at the hotel coffee shop and Marshall's Cafe, both in Osawatomie.

In later years, she began typing books so they could be translated for the blind. She also edited books other volunteers had typed.

Among her many hobbies were crocheting, reading, working crossword puzzles and traveling. Many friends and relatives have been the recipients of her afghans, doilies, dolls, baby clothes and table cloths.

She enjoyed taking bus trips with the First Option VIP Club and had toured Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, plus many places in the United States.

Mrs. White was a member of the Victory Baptist Church, a member and past president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary, all in Osawatomie.

Those preceding her in death were her husband, who died July 26, 1987; two sons, Donald D. White Jr. and Ronald Lee White; and one daughter, Rena Jo White.

Survivors include her daughter, Mexa Roberts; her sister, Mickie Thomas of Osawatomie; four grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 7 p.m. today in Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in the church, followed by burial in Green Valley Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Dewain Crouch, Jerry Burgoon, Greg Crouch, Paul Branson, Matt Smith and Joe Diaz.

* In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the church.