In Memory

Mary Virginia Choctaw Simpson White

On Tuesday, June 22, 2010, Mary Virginia Choctaw Simpson White passed away at OU Medical Center, surrounded by family and friends.

Mary is proceeded in death by Kenneth Payne Simpson and Dorothy June Simpson.

She is survived by her husband, Carl White; children, Rylan, Gretchen, Jordy, Lisa and Luca; her two grandchildren, Girogia Elaine and Matteo Alexander; her two brothers, Richard K. and Karen Simpson and Laurence W. and Stephanie Simpson; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Mary was born Feb 27, 1944, in Enid to Kenneth and Dorothy Simpson.

Being a long-term resident of Enid and Major County, Mary lived a full an interesting life. She attended school in Enid and graduated from Phillips University with a BA in journalism. She was involved in education at several levels, from the care and teaching of children at Enid State School to the children on the Navajo reservation in Farmington, New Mexico. She also was one of the original Snow Whites at Disneyland, Calif., and continued on working for Walt Disney. She had a strong passion for filmmaking, having worked for the Australian film commission for Mirage Films and Caltech.

After her marriage to Carl, she was involved in raising, training and breeding purebred dogs. She also was a breed judge for the AKC and worked as liaison between the AKC (American Kennel Clud) and ADRK (Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Club).

For the last 26 years, she was the principal architect of Island Guest Ranch in Major County. Mary was always involved in the travel business having traveled the world herself. She owned and operated a travel company called Byways Tours, taking many trips across Western Europe. She also took enormous pleasure into bringing people to the state of Oklahoma and worked tirelessly to that end. Mary's passion continued with working closely within the film industry for promoting Oklahoma through documentaries, advertisements and films into the state.

Mary was a loving mother to not only her own children but to many people. She was kind, compassionate, vivacious individual who carried herself with dignity and grace in the face of great adversity and illness.

She will always be Miss Mary to the many young people whose lives she touched. Mary's untimely and early demise has left a hole in her family's hearts; she will be greatly missed by all.