Ila Ruth Gibson White, 87, passed away Friday, September 29, 2023 at Hospice of Wichita Falls. Services will be on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at 10:00 AM, at Victory Baptist Church, 1400 Midwestern Parkway, Wichita Falls, with Pastor Ryan Ricker officiating. Visitation will be immediately after the service.  Burial will be in Starkey Cemetery in Saint Jo, Texas at a later time.

She was born April 19, 1936, in Gainesville, Texas, to B. R. Gibson and Dolly Watts Gibson of Saint Jo, Texas. Ila grew up in Saint Jo, Texas, in the Starkey Community and attended school there, grades one through twelve.  After graduating high school, she attended business school in Wichita Falls.  She worked for the state of Texas in social services for twenty-one years.

Ila married Elton White on August 24, 1956, in Wichita Falls.  He passed away on January 13, 2013.  They had one daughter, Sherry Kay White Naylor, who passed away on June 4, 2015, and one son, David Elton White, who passed away on July 4, 2020.

Ila enjoyed attending Victory Baptist church, where she was a member.  Her hobbies were doing machine embroidery and sewing, playing card games with friends, listening to organ music, and baking pastries.  She was especially admired for her delicious brown sugar cookies.

Ila was also preceded in death by a brother, B. H. "Gib" Gibson and a nephew, Richard Gibson.

She is survived by a grandson, Shane Naylor and wife, Jodi, of Wichita Falls; grandchildren, Corey Savell, Brandon Savell and wife Jessica, Kaci Lawrence, and Eric Lawrence; great-grandchildren, Annalyse Lawrence, Reylan Savell, Cora Savell; nieces, Carolyn Gibson Sparks, Susan Guytt, and Jan Gibson Provancha; nephew Steve Sanders; great nephews, Lance Gibson, Scott Gibson, Chuck Sparks, Chad Sparks, Chance Sparks, and Hunter Sanders; and many great-great nieces and nephews.

Donations may be made to Victory Baptist Church, 1400 Midwestern Parkway, Wichita Falls, Texas 76302; or Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4904 Johnson Road, Wichita Falls, 76301.