Yvonne “Vonnie" Lee White

Yvonne “Vonnie” Lee White, 75, said goodbye to us on January 12, 2025. Born in Harper, Kansas on December 1, 1950, to Max and Dorothea (Scott) Stevens.

Vonnie graduated from Wellington High School in 1968. After high school, Vonnie moved to Hutchinson, Kansas and worked in Dillon’s Bakery. While living in Hutchinson, Vonnie gave birth to her daughter Misty Dawn Herbison, who unfortunately was born prematurely and passed away shortly after birth. Vonnie was heartbroken and very rarely discussed this period of her life.

In 1974, Vonnie moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she worked for Fry’s Bakery. Vonnie loved her orange Corvette, known as Orange Crush, the Arizona sun and weekends at the lake. This is where she met her lifelong friend Kathy Hass.

Vonnie and her younger sister Kim were very close, and Kim’s family moved to Phoenix during this time. Vonnie was very active in Kim’s life and spent a lot of time with her two nephews, TJ and Tyson, and her niece, Tara.

In 1988, Vonnie attended her twenty-year high school reunion, where she became reacquainted with her classmate Larry White. They quickly started dating and Vonnie moved to Wichita, Kansas. In less than a year they were married.

In 1992, Vonnie started working at a local Wichita Bakery named Thinking of You owned by Marilyn Tornquist. Vonnie was known as an expert cake decorator. Vonnie loved visiting with her customers and celebrating their occasions by creating tasty treats and gorgeous cakes. Over the years, Vonnie reduced her hours but never stopped working alongside her friend Marilyn.

During the past several years, Vonnie cherished her monthly lunches with her niece Tara. Vonnie loved spending time with Tara and hearing all about the family and plans for everyone’s future. Vonnie was very proud of everyone in her family.

Vonnie loved the holidays because she got to see her entire family together and this made her extremely happy. Vonnie was especially excited because in the past year three great-great nieces were born.

Vonnie was a devoted wife, mother, sister, friend, aunt, avid reader and animal lover.

Vonnie was preceded in death by her husband, Larry White; her parents, Max and Dorothea (Scott) Stevens; her daughter, Misty Dawn Herbison; her brother, Curtis Stevens. Missing her daily, her stepsons Ty White of Wichita and Ryan White of Treasure Island, Florida; sister, Kim Stevens Highfield and her husband Jim Highfield of Wichita; her nephews, TJ Wood of Cheyenne Wyoming, Tyson Wood of Wichita and his wife Karen Wood of Wichita; her niece, Tara Wood Schooley and her husband Clint Schooley of Wichita; her great-nieces, Josie Schooley Tillotson (Morgan), Kennedy Schooley Mellinger (Nicholas); her great nephews, Tristen Wood (Ganessa), Brody Schooley

Services will be held at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary, 6555 E. Central, in Wichita at 11:00 am on Thursday, January 22, 2026. A graveside service in Wellington at the Prairie Lawn Cemetery will occur right after. A Celebration of Life will be held later that day at her home, 12302 E Killarney St in Wichita from 4:00 to 6:00.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be donated to Kanas Humane Society, 3313 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219.