Linda Kaye White

Linda Kaye (Rodden) White was born on December 15, 1946, to Bert and Virginia (Snyder) Rodden, and on January 3, 2026, she stepped peacefully into Heaven at the age of 79. Linda’s story began in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she came into the world with a spark that never left her. That spark grew even brighter the day she met the love of her life, Finis Lee White. They crossed paths at Pennington’s Drive-In—though Finis was supposed to be on a blind date with someone else. One glance at Linda changed everything. They struck up a conversation, slipped away for a joyride in his brother’s car, and from that moment on, their lives were intertwined. Linda was just 17, Finis only 16, when they married in Joplin, Missouri, beginning a lifelong partnership filled with devotion, laughter, and the kind of love that becomes family legend. As a child, Linda traveled constantly with her parents, two sisters, and her aunt and uncle as pipeline work carried them from town to town. Always the “new kid,” she learned early how to adapt, observe, and dream. She often admitted she spent more time daydreaming than studying, yet she grew into a woman who was well-read, well-spoken, and endlessly curious. Later in life, she became a full-fledged news and political “junkie”—a twist she herself would have never predicted. It wasn’t unusual to find her listening to music, watching the news, talking on the phone, and tuning into talk radio all at once. Linda found joy in caring for her family—both the two-legged and four-legged kind. She loved cooking (and shopping!) and took pride in preparing homemade meals for those she loved, including her cherished dogs Jingles, Barney, Willie, and Lucy. She and Finis also adored their birds, Buddy and Sunny. Old movies were another comfort, and she was rarely without a TV remote in hand, ready to revisit her favorite classics. A lifelong Elvis Presley fan, Linda filled her home—and her heart—with his music. She visited Graceland many times and attended several of his concerts, but her most treasured memory was the night Elvis himself kissed her cheek and placed a scarf around her neck. She carried that moment with her always. Linda leaves behind a family who loved her deeply: her children, Chris White and wife Tammie of Broken Arrow; Dana White of Claremore; her grandchildren, Jenna White of Bristow; John and Jessica Holsinger of Weinert, TX; Christopher White and fiancée Kelcey Nobles of Bartlesville; and Matt and Chelsea Weinkauf of Orlando, OK. She was blessed with one great-granddaughter, Christian Holsinger, and four great-grandsons, Miles White, Paul Holsinger, Wyatt Weinkauf, and Colt Weinkauf. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Finis; her parents, Bert and Virginia Rodden; her sisters, MaryJane Johnson, and Rebecca Ann Stinson; her aunt and uncle, Tommy Lee and Marjorie “Auntie” Markham; and three precious great-grandchildren, Beau, Memphis, and Jack White Linda will be dearly missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Tributes

Linda Kaye White

December 15, 1946 - January 3, 2026