Shelby “Dean” White, 89, of Midland, passed away peacefully on October 1, 2026.

Dean was born on September 22, 1937, in South Carolina. He was a cherished son of the late Worth William White and Clara Bell Mayhew White. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, David and Meschel White.

Dean was a loving husband and a man of strong faith. He worked for more than 44 years at Fieldcrest Cannon before spending another 10 years working at the VA Hospital parking cars.

Dean loved fishing, horseshoes, Kingpin bowling, singing, and watching football and basketball. He was dedicated to walking five miles every day, rain or shine. Above all, Dean had a wonderful sense of humor and loved making people laugh and smile.

He was a firm believer whose faith was an important part of his life. Dean loved his wife and family deeply, and they were his greatest joy.

He will be remembered for his hard work, faith, laughter, kindness, and the love he shared with everyone around him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Those left to cherish his memory include his beloved wife of 69 years, Shirley Ann Hinson White; daughters, Pamela Ann White, Deana White, and Paula Phillips; adopted granddaughter, Hadley Widenhouse; sisters, Ruth Webb, Emily Beaver, Gloria Shoe, Judy Reed (Richard), and Diane Kidd (Jimmy).

The family will receive friends from 12:00pm to 1:00pm on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at Whitley’s Funeral Home in Kannapolis. The funeral service will begin following the visitation at 1:00pm.