Tuesday, October 15, 2024
During a regular City Council meeting of the City of Gatesville on Tuesday, Oct. 8, it was proclaimed to make Sunday, Oct. 20, Dale and Laura White Day due to the service and support given to the people of Gatesville and their Gatesville Church of Christ family.
The Whites’ service to the Gatesville community spans many years following their college graduation from the University of Texas and subsequent move to Gatesville in the 1960’s.
Laura worked for Gatesville Independent School District for 28 years, which included 14 years in the vocational lab, six years as the vocational counselor, and eight years as a junior high counselor. She has been an active member of the Exchange Club since 1969 serving in many leadership roles and has also been active in prison ministry since 1984, ministering to the women on death row at the Mountain View Unit.
Dale was a pharmacist for 53 years and owned and operated City Drug in Gatesville many years before retiring in 2009.
According to the proclamation, “His service to the community has extended far beyond a business owner as he served the City of Gatesville as a council member from Sept. 1969 to April 1973 and additionally helped countless people in this community financially while remaining completely anonymous.”
The Whites have been members of the Gatesville Church of Christ for many years and is also where Laura had a role in establishing a Hispanic Church of Christ in Gatesville.
The couple was also named Citizens of the Year by the Gatesville Chamber of Commerce where they were recognized for their tireless service to the many non-profits and local organizations within the community.
The proclamation states, “All the citizens of Gatesville have benefited from Dale and Laura’s considerable community knowledge and engagement in the many organizations which have continued to make Gatesville a wonderful place to live. We are proud to offer sincere gratitude to Dale and Laura White for their unmatched dedication to our community, which is leaving a lasting impact through their extensive and thoughtful engagement with their many community endeavors to help others.”
“Dale and Laura’s gift of time and commitment sets an example for all in how volunteerism leads to positive civic engagement and to the betterment of our community. Today, we extend Dale and Laura our heartfelt thanks for their continued service in our community and offer our best wishes for continued happiness, good health, and many more successes in the years to come,” the proclamation states.
