Mary White
Mary MacClaren Coghlan White, 100 years old, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on April 19, 2025.
She was born in Columbia, Mo. Her parents were Major James Joseph Coghlan and Lenora West Bowen Coghlan. She graduated from Missionary Ridge School, Girls Preparatory School and the University of Chattanooga. She received her master's of education teaching degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. A member of Chi Omega Sorority, Mary was awarded the Kate Hinds Steel Award for outstanding community service.
Beginning in World War II, Mary served as an American Red Cross Nurses Aide and Gray Lady. She was a volunteer tutor for the Inner-City Ministry, Cub Scout Den Mother, and Girl Scout Leader, and a board member of the Moccasin Bend Area Girl Scouts of America. Mary also held memberships in Alpha Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Honorary Teachers Organization, The Founders Club at Girls
Preparatory School, as well as The Friday Morning Study Club, The Lookout Mountain Book Club, The Fairyland Garden Club, The Nancy Ward Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, The Chattanooga Historical Association and The First Families of Tennessee. Mary was a Communicant of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
She liked to be with those she loved, Charlie, her husband of 61 years, their children, Charles, Clare and Robert. The happy times continued with grandchildren, Peyton, Ricky and Jay and great grandchildren Dylan, Emily, Evelyn, and Fisher. She loved children and not just her own. Mary operated a play school in her home for seven years and later became a teacher at Fairyland Elementary School, the Preschool Development Center and Lookout Mountain Elementary.
After retirement, she continued the genealogical research begun by her grandmother Bowen, her mother and other family members. She complied this into a history/genealogy of the pioneer Bean, West, Bowen and related families. It was called In the Sweet By and By and was published by Roy McDonald. She also published Family Coghlan and the Holmes Family of South Alabama that
included a manuscript of Dr. Malachy Coghlan, Wayward Steps, a detailed account of service under Dr. Livingstone and Stanley.
Mary was a voracious reader who loved reading her Bible daily as well as other lively tales with “believable characters.” She always had a kind word and a smile for those she knew and for those she had just met. No one was a stranger. She open wrote notes to those needing comfort or to celebrate a birthday, a thank you note, or just a letter to let you know she was thinking about you. She loved working in her yard and appreciated the beauty of all the seasons. Her kind spirit will be greatly missed, but her family and friends know she will rest high on the mountain at last.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Charles Vines White, Sr., son Charles Vines White III, sister, Lenora Smith McCauley, and brother Colonel James Joseph Coghlan, Jr. She is survived by her daughter, Mary MacClaren “Clare” White Gruber (Eck) and son, Robert Thomas White of Lookout Mountain, her grandchildren Peyton White, Ricky (Cathryn) Johnson and Jay Gruber. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Dylan and Emily White and Evelyn and Fisher Johnson, her loving sister in laws, Jodie White of Longmont, Colorado and Vera Young Coghlan of Stockton, California. Also surviving her are many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
The family would like to express their gratitude to her caregivers Dr. Mary Hammock, Dr. William Warren, Dr. Greg May and Dr Lisa Wamack. We would also like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff of Memorial Hospital, Siskin Rehabilitation Hospital, Thrive Assisted Living, Tapestry Hospice and Hospice of Chattanooga. Special thanks to Waydean Mosier and her excellent staff of personal care sitters. We have been truly blessed by such special people in our lives.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice in her memory.
Visitation will be on Friday, May 2, at Our Lady of The Mount Catholic Church on Lookout Mountain, Georgia from 3-5:30 p.m. A graveside service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are by Wann Funeral & Cremation Center at the foot of historic Lookout Mountain, St. Elmo, 423 821-7551. Share your memories at wannfuneralhome.com