Sharon Kay White

Sharon Kay White passed away November 24 following a fight against skin and bone marrow cancer. A lifelong Hoosier, Sharon was born at home in Muncie on Oct. 11, 1942, to the late James Heflin and Freda (Huckeby) Saunders. She has four siblings: the late James Saunders II, the late Susan Saunders, Steven Saunders (Teresa), and Pamela Saunders Constant (Jay).

Sharon was a graduate of Selma High School and Ball State University, where she earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, both in education. She married the late James Russel Cockerill, Jr.  in 1962 and is survived by three children: Susan Cockerill, Cara Cockerill Hainje (Joel), and Russel Cockerill. They later divorced and Sharon married her second husband, the late Charles Wayne White, in 1983. Sharon is also survived by granddaughters Devin Hainje, Cameron Hainje, and Chloe Cockerill.

Over her 43-year career, Sharon taught in several Indiana school districts, including Monroe Central School Corporation, Muncie Community Schools, and Tippecanoe School Corporation, where she was an educator at Klondike Elementary School and Battleground Middle School. A member of the Indiana State Teachers Association and the National Education Association, she was also a long-standing member of the Tippecanoe Education Association, where she served one term as president. In addition, Sharon was a volleyball coach for several years.

In 1968, Sharon was a founding member of the Eta Iota chapter of Psi Iota Xi (PIX) sorority in Parker City. The philanthropic group focuses on art, literature, music, speech, and hearing. Moving to Lafayette in 1972, she joined the Delta Zeta chapter. She reached 50 years of service in 2018. Sharon chaired several national PIX positions and was national president in 1988-89. Sharon’s service earned recognition from the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1986, when she became an honorary Kentucky Colonel.

Sharon served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Tippecanoe County. A former member of Central Presbyterian Church, she later joined Stidham United Methodist Church. An avid reader, Sharon read over 600 books from 2020-24. She was a devoted fan of Purdue University athletics and is past president of the BOILERMaker NETwork. Sharon and her second husband enjoyed playing bridge and traveled to all 50 United States. She also traveled to New Zealand, Australia, England, France, Italy, Mexico, and Canada.

Friends and family may call from 12:00 pm until the time of the memorial service at 1:00 pm on Saturday, December 14, which will be held at Soller-Baker West Lafayette Chapel, 1184 Sagamore Parkway West in West Lafayette.  Rev. Barbara Kenley officiating. Private inurnment will be at Spring Vale Cemetery in Lafayette, following the service.

In lieu of flowers, Sharon requested memorial donations be sent to: Psi Iota Xi National Office, 3905 Vincennes Road, Suite 303, Indianapolis, IN 46268 or CASA of Tippecanoe County at 301 Main Street, Lafayette, IN 47901.