A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, January 23, 2017 at 11:00 am at Christ Our Savior Parish/St. Nicholas Church for Helen White who passed into eternal life on Thursday evening January 19, 2017 surrounded by her loving family who all held her hand. Her favorite passage was the 23^rd Psalm.

She was born on December 26, 1928 in Youngstown, Ohio, the daughter of James and Stephanie (Colucci) Tarantino. Helen was a 1946 graduate of Scienceville High School in Youngstown, Ohio. She worked with her brother, Joe, at his service station, calculated on a comptometer, served as secretary at Vinylume Products (her family’s window business), and homemaker. She met the love of her life Jack White while dancing at Avon Oaks Ballroom. They wed on September 3, 1955 and shared 61 years of marriage.

She lived a full and long life unselfishly devoted to her husband, son, daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. She enjoyed bowling, bocce, and golfing where she excelled at putting. In spring, she enjoyed gardening and canning tomatoes and strawberries. Cooking was an event at the White House, especially on Sundays and Christmas Eves, where she whipped up wedding soup, spaghetti and meatballs, braciole, pitzelles and much more.

Helen was a card shark, filling in from time to time with the card club, and playing often with her grandchildren, as she would win easily by consistently throwing the aces.

Helen was a devoted member of Christ Our Savior Parish St. Nicholas Catholic Church, Struthers, Ohio, where she served on the Alter and Rosary Society. She was a member of the Cursillo Movement, Red Hat Society, and the Ohio Cultural Alliance.  She loved listening to Polkas, following the Joe Fedorchak Band to festivals around town and on trips to Europe, dancing at SNPJ, and attending music in the park events across town with her husband.

Helen is survived by sisters Mary Rohovsky and Angeline Tarantino. A son Orlando (Sally) White, and daughter Stephanie Hudzik. She had six grandchildren Stephanie Hudzik, Jack White, Sarah (PJ) Katsaras, Melissa Hudzik, Anna (Kevin) Hoffman, and Ashley Hudzik. She was a great-grandmother to Mary Jane Katsaras.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her two brothers Charles (Ann) Parno and Joseph (Ethleene) Tarantino; three sisters Rose Tarantino, Stephanie (Mike) Kalcic, and Connie (Harry) Shaffer.

Friends may call on Sunday at the Clemente Funeral Home in Struthers from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. and on Monday morning from 10:00 to 11:00 one hour prior to the mass at Christ Our Savior Parish.

 Service Information