Charles White

Charles Frederic White was born in Pearisburg, Virginia on December 28, 1943. His parents, Edwin and Helen White, moved the family to Rock Hill South Carolina when he was young.

In high school Charlie followed the family tradition of attending Westtown School near West Chester, PA, where he found a deep sense of belonging and met life-long friends. He then attended Guilford College in Greensboro, NC, and never left - he never lived more than five miles from campus, and was a student and/or employee at Guilford from 1962 to 2010. While at Guilford, he was active on and offstage in the theater, an interest that would continue throughout his life. He served as a conscientious objector for two years at Guilford, earned a degree in English, and worked in several departments; his longest service was in the IT department. He was instrumental in bringing the first main frame computer to Guilford College.

While at Guilford, he met his wife of fifty-five years, Sara, and they married on June 14, 1969 at St. Petersburg Friends Meeting (FL).

Their first child, Cassandra, was born in 1977, and Rose came along eighteen months later.

While raising his girls his primary focus was work and family, coaching soccer and taking the kids canoeing and camping. He did anything and everything with his family in live theater at Livestock Players in Greensboro. Later in life he became active in New Garden Friends Meeting, serving for several years as the treasurer. Charlie served on the Quaker House board as well.

Charlie and Sara took a few wonderful trips in their retirement that included Monteverde, Costa Rica. He took great joy in visiting his ancestral home in Waterford, Ireland, in the company of a small group of Quaker friends. Charlie enjoyed a special trip to Arches National Park with lifelong Guilford College friends, camping, rafting, and enjoying each other’s company.

Charlie was a steadfast friend, a quiet, caring, and deeply kind person. Although he was often quiet, Charlie was able to bring gentle humor to any situation. He had a mechanic’s mind. If you needed help figuring out a problem, Charlie was the person to call. In recent years when his body wasn’t cooperating, he enjoyed brainstorming which methods and tools were right for the job.

Charlie passed away on May 16, 2026 at Friends Homes in Greensboro, NC.

He is survived by his siblings Chandlee White and Sylvia White (Michael Mirande), daughters Cassandra White (Bea Fetzer) and Rose White (Jennifer Jordan) and their child Levi, brother-in-law John Schoonover (Judy Purvis), nephew and niece Carl and Julie Schoonover.

There will be a memorial service in the Living Room of Friends Homes/Guilford at 2pm on June 12.

Piedmont Funeral Home is honored to served the Charles White family.