MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Virginia White passed away on June 1, 2015, but her legacy in Meridian Township is still being felt. On April 22, 2018, the Township dedicated a tree and a plaque to White in the Historical Village.

White was the Meridian Township Clerk from 1972 until her resignation in 1997 after 25 years of service. In 1989, she was named Clerk of the Year by the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.

But her legacy moved beyond that, during her tenure, White helped to install sidewalks around the township and to build the bandshell at Lake Lansing Park South.

The dedication was accompanied by a small celebration of Virginia White's life and was attended by people who knew or who were touched by her. Current Township Trustee Patricia Jackson said, "I found her to be a very warm, very welcoming individual. And after becoming a part of Meridian Township government, I realized that Virginia White is legend in Meridian Township."

Close friend Alfreda Schmidt was touched by the dedication. "Virginia was a unique person. She had integrity, and she didn't mind letting people know that," said Schmidt.

"She's such a sweet, giving person, and a lot of what we did during my tenure was was we gave back to the community. But she was all about providing for people. Always. And she was such a genuine person, it's, in a way, still hard to believe that she's not here with us," Jane Chriss said. Chriss met White during their time together in Mid-Michigan Republican Women, where White was the founding president.