Rose H. (Hawk) White

Rose Hawk White, 86, of Wilmington, NC, passed away peacefully Monday, July 14, 2025. Rose was born in Johnson City, TN, November 17, 1938. She was the daughter of the late Robert Frank and Mary Elizabeth Eller Hawk.

She was preceded in death by her daughters, Susan Boyd White and Mary Elizabeth White. She is survived by her daughter, Grace White, and her first cousins Carolyn McCracken, Dell Gates, Linda Cross, Cindy Light, and Nancy LaGuardia.  

Rose was a proud alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with a degree in Mathematics. After college, she was offered job opportunities with NASA and Texas Instruments, but eagerly and happily went on to start a family. In the early 1980s, she was hired as the women's buyer for Belk Department Store and went on to become the Divisional Merchandise Manager for the Southeast Region.

Her greatest pride and joy were her three daughters, Susan, Mary Beth, and Grace. She created a life where her three girls felt an undeniable love, which allowed them to soar, traveling the country and the world as they pursued their passions. She was a talented tennis player, baked incredible chocolate pies, was an avid reader, loved taking long walks throughout Atlanta, enjoyed seeing live music with friends, and visited Tennessee to see her family, where she spent summers as a child. She volunteered at Piedmont Hospital and was an active member and volunteer at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. She read the Bible multiple times and started and ended her days with prayer. Her determination to live her life with depth and purpose, undeterred by adversity, is her legacy.

A Celebration of Life will be held at First Methodist Church of Morehead City, NC, August 2, 2025 at 11:00 am.

In place of flowers, Grace requests donations be made to the Endowment of Susan and Mary Beth White, the Boys and Girls Home of Lake Waccamaw.

Online condolences are encouraged and may be sent to www.fulwoodfuneralservice.com.