Barbara Ester Grubbs White

Barbara Grubbs White, passed away Saturday, November 16, 2024, in Winston-Salem, NC. She was born April 5, 1937, in Winston-Salem, the daughter of Sollie Leon Grubbs and Ester Davis Grubbs.

Barbara’s life was centered around family, faith, and friends. She was a woman of many interests and talents and shared those lovingly with others. She spent 51 joyful years married to her husband Alexander Jefferson (Jeff) White. With their family of two sons, they actively participated in their community, especially their church, Hickory Ridge United Methodist Church. Barbara was a lifelong member of the church and spent many decades singing in the choir with friends, taught Sunday school, served as the church accountant, donated several of her beautiful paintings to decorate the public spaces of the church, and she and Jeff cooked meals for every church event. 

Her career in accounting eventually brought her to the Winston-Salem Housing Authority where she worked for over 25 years. Her contributions there were so valued that after her retirement, the mayor appointed her as a Housing Authority Commissioner.

With work, family life, and volunteering at church, Barbara somehow also found time to pursue her many varied hobbies. She was a gifted singer, avid gardener, beekeeper, and award-winning quilter and artist. Her friends and family were thrilled to receive custom designed quilts of special significance to each person. She did the same with paintings, capturing a person or place that was important to the recipient. However, her artistic talents were not limited to canvas. Every year she painted personalized wooden Easter eggs as keepsakes for her grandchildren. Her legacy of giving and sharing is treasured by all who knew her. Barbara is survived by her sister Sue Welborn (Jim); sons Greg Boles (Elizabeth) and Keith White (Martha); grandsons Marshall Boles, Patrick Boles, and Devin Booze (Sarah), along with many beloved nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at 10am, Saturday, November 23, at Hickory Ridge United Methodist Church. A funeral service will follow at 11am with burial at Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Stokes County Arts Council (stokesarts.org, 500 Main Street Danbury, NC 27016).