Willodean Wilma Lemon White, 98, of Columbia City, died peacefully at her home at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, November 15, 2020.

Born August 3, 1922, in Kosciusko County, Indiana, the daughter of the late Ersil and Edna B. (Leedy) Norris. Willodean attended the Monroe School south of Pierceton, for grades 1–7, and Etna-Troy School in Whitley County for her 8th-grade graduation. She attended Larwill High School with the class of 1940 and was class vice-president her junior year.

On April 22, 1939, she married Guy Leroy Lemon. They made their home and raised their four sons on a dairy farm in Etna-Troy Twp. Guy died on May 6, 1974.

In addition to working on the farm and cooking delicious meals for her family and farmhands, Willodean worked at the newly opened Whitley County Memorial Hospital in 1951, later at Chamberlain Products, South Whitley, and retired from Alcoils, Inc., Columbia City.

On October 24, 1981, she married S. Marcus White, and they lived on his farm at Ridinger Lake in Kosciusko County. Marcus died on April 14, 2004. Willodean then moved to the Wilkswood Addition in Columbia City and has lived there until her death.

Willodean was a great cook and liked to bake and decorate cakes. She enjoyed sewing, making doll clothes for her granddaughters. Her appreciation of flowers was shown by the colorful blooms both inside and outside her home. But her first love was her family.

She is survived by sons, Jack (Marilyn) Lemon, Tom (Sharon) Lemon and Mike (Cindy) Lemon, all of Columbia City; a half-sister, Lana Terman; 12 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren and five step-great-great grandchildren; and step-daughters, Beth L. White, and MarLou Beery.

Willodean was preceded in death by her first son, Jim Lemon and his wife Barb; brother, Gene Norris; half-sister Nancy Walker; great-granddaughter, Audry Neeley; great-grandson, Hunter Lemon and step-daughters, Becky Davidson and Carole Dean McCormick.

Visitation is 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City. Covid 19 restrictions limit 25 people in the building. MASK ARE REQUIRED . Call the funeral home for an appointment time. There will be a private funeral and burial at the Adams Cemetery.

Preferred memorials are to Troy Presbyterian Church, Parkview Home Health and Hospice of Whitley County or Willodean's great caregivers – Debbie's (Angels) Girls - Tammy, April, Pat, Glenda, and Debbie

This service will be live-streamed on Facebook.