| Bio | April 4, 1952 - Feb. 22, 2014 Rosy died peacefully at home with her wife, Mary, by her side on Feb. 22, 2014, after a yearlong valiant struggle with bile duct cancer. Born in Independence, Mo., the home of President Harry Truman, she was the only daughter of Burton E. and Wilma White. She graduated from Van Horn High School in Independence in 1970 and the University of Missouri School of Journalism from which she graduated with a B.A. in Journalism with a specialty in Radio and Television news in 1974. Rosy worked her way up in the TV news business starting out as a TV news reporter in Laredo, Texas, moving on to television stations in Tucson, Ariz., Dayton, Ohio, Philadelphia Pa., Providence, RI, and, finally, to WCVB Channel 5 here in Boston, Mass. At Channel 5, she served as a news producer until the inequity in pay and treatment of employees there became intolerable to her and she felt compelled to prove a point. So, she posted her paystub on the station bulletin board for all to see. As you may imagine, this was not well received by management. Rosy worked to organize the technical employees at Channel 5 into a union under the National Association of Broadcast Employees & Technicians (NABET). For this accomplishment, she was fired by Channel 5 under questionable circumstances. Not at all cowed by this, she subsequently went to work for IBEW Local 103 and later became Business Manager of NABET Local 15 and served in that capacity for many years. After leaving NABET (which later became part of IATSE), she went to work for John Hancock Financial Services, then for Cornerstone Financial in Burlington, Mass. After establishing herself in her new profession, she opened her own financial planning firm, Strong Financial Group, which she operated as sole proprietor for the past 18 years until her illness culminated in the sale of her business to Independence Financial Planning in Chestnut Hill, Mass., in December of 2013. Rosy was very active in local community politics having worked for Massachusetts State Representative Alvin Thompson. She served as campaign manager for Elaine Noble in her bid for Cambridge City Council. She was an active Democrat and an ardent supporter of Democratic candidates and policies. As a resident of Cambridge since 1978, Rosy had the distinction of never having missed voting even once in any election whether it was for an issue or a candidate. She believed strongly that voting was a privilege that all citizens must honor and exercise if it is to be preserved. Rosy was a member of the Executive Board of the Greater Boston Business Council and served as its Director from 1998-1999. Rosy was a co-founder of the Women In Business Connection in Cambridge. She also served on its Board and as its President. As an active member of the Boston Chapter of the Mizzou (University of Missouri) Alumni Association., she loved attending their football watch parties always wearing a Mizzou T- shirt and cheering on her beloved Tigers. Her love of football extended to the NFL and, on any given Sunday, she could be found in her Patriots ball cap cheering them on to victory. While Mary, her wife, has lost the love of her life, the world and her many friends have lost a human being who made a difference: a person who was courageous, strong, principled, honorable, kind and loving. She also had a wicked and legendary sense of humor that is, like all else about her, completely irreplaceable. She is survived by her wife, Mary Hagler White of Cambridge; her brother, James Randolph White of New York, NY; aunt, Edwinna White of De Soto, Mo.; cousin, John A. White of De Soto; cousin, Sharron Moore; nephews, Patrick White of Ogden, Utah, and Andrew White of St. Louis, Mo., as well as countless friends, business acquaintances, former clients, and coworkers. A private cremation service at Mount Auburn Cemetery was held Thursday, Feb. 27. A memorial life celebration will be at 12 p.m. Monday June 23, in Story Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery. The ceremony will be followed by interment in Birch Gardens at Mt. Auburn Cemetery. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Rosy's memory to http://www.caringbridge.org/ (where you may find a journal of the past year of her illness by visiting Rosemary White) or to the Boston Chapter of the University of Missouri Alumni Association Scholarship Fund or to the American Cancer Society .
Published in Kansas City Star on Mar. 9, 2014 |
