Viola Josephine White, 96, of Woonsocket, passed away peacefully on Jan. 3, 2025, at Prairie View Healthcare Center in Woonsocket.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Viola “Jo” (Wood) White was born Jan. 26, 1928, in Mitchell to Ollie and Elsie (Cox) Wood. She was the youngest of nine children.

She lived near Mt. Vernon until she was eight years old and then moved with her family to Salix, Iowa. She graduated from Salix High School in 1945. In the fall of 1945, she moved to Woonsocket to live with her sister, Vivian Strand.

She married John White on Dec. 20, 1947. To this union, two sons and one daughter were born. They lived in rural Woonsocket and farmed for many years. In 1971, Jo started working at the Woonsocket News office, currently known as Sanborn Weekly Journal. She worked under three editors, Oliver Freed, Jerry Klaas and Hillary Lutter. She retired in 2014 after 43 years with the newspaper.

Jo was a member of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Woonsocket, where she was active in Ladies Aid. She was also a member of the Woonsocket American Legion Auxiliary, where she was the Poppy Chairman for many years. She also belonged to the Woonsocket Community Club.

She loved spending time with her family and enjoyed attending the activities of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jo is survived by her sons, Mike (Barb) White of Woonsocket and Randy (Brenda) White of Aberdeen; daughter, Barbara Machal of North Hills, Calif.; four grandsons; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; three brothers; five sisters; and a son-in-law, Hank Machal.