Donna Jean White

Donna Jean "Jeannie" White

September 7, 1940 – November 1, 2026

Donna Jean "Jeannie" White, age 86, passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, November 1, 2026, at Cleveland Metro Health following a brief illness.

Born on September 7, 1940, in Lodi, Ohio, Jeannie was the youngest child of Roy and Ruth (Van Vranken) Shorthouse. She grew up on a small family farm in Greenwich, Ohio, with her older sister, Pearl (Marietta). Her older brother, Carl, passed away in infancy. Jeannie’s childhood was filled with fond memories of helping her mother around the farm, playing with friends, and sharing adventures with her beloved cousins, Dick, Connie, and Bonita Troxel.

From a very young age, Jeannie possessed a remarkable and natural gift for music. Her musical journey began at age seven when her grandfather taught her simple piano chords to accompany him on the fiddle. Encouraged by her mother’s discipline of daily practice, Jeannie’s talent blossomed. She went on to master several instruments, including the piano, trumpet, violin, harpsichord, and accordion.

After graduating from high school in 1958, Jeannie worked as a secretary for the Shelby Mutual Insurance Company in Shelby, Ohio. On October 11, 1959, she married her high school sweetheart, Arthur White. Together, they built a warm and beautiful home centered around their faith, family, and five children: Mike, Marcia, Mindy, Mark, and Matt. While Jeannie dedicated most of her life to being a devoted homemaker, music remained a cornerstone of their home. Art and Jeannie shared a deep reverence for God and a passion for playing music together, leading to countless joyful Saturday night pizza parties and sing-a-longs featuring guitars, banjo, mandolin, and piano with family and friends.

Jeannie’s legacy of love, faith, and music lives on through her devoted family; children, Michael (Donna) White, Marcia (Terry) Goodsite, Mindy (Gordon) Bayer, Mark (Jennifer) White, and Matthew (Julie) White.

Her beloved grandchildren, Joseph White, Joshua (Melissa) White, Valarie (John) Sweeting, Gabriel (Lorena) Priddy, Luke (Zhao Jing) Priddy, Paul (Madison) Priddy, Nate (Mark) Bayer, Noah Bayer, Ben (Aubri) White, Elli (Owen) Keysor, Isaac (Nikki) White, Maddie (Brady) Hauenstein, and Eli White; as well as 16 cherished great-grandchildren and 1 cherished great-great-grandson.

Jeannie will also be dearly missed by her extended family, step-brother Paul Owens, cousin Connie Troxel Chase, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Services & Arrangements

Family and friends are warmly invited to gather to celebrate and honor Jeannie's life on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Ripley Church, located at 4130 Edwards Road, Greenwich, OH.

Calling Hours are 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM; Funeral Service begins at 11:30 AM and Interment at Edwards Grove Cemetery, immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Donna Jean's memory to the Tri-Community Joint Fire Department, 49 Main Street, Greenwich, OH 44837.