April 13, 1943 – January 21, 2026
Laura Joan White, 82, passed peacefully into eternity at her home in Los Altos, California. Laura was born in Lewiston, Idaho, to Walter Charles and Martha Katherine McWilliams. Her father was a doctor who specialized in diabetes and her mother was a nurse, as well as a fantastic cook and homemaker. She grew up as an only child until age nine, when her little sister Paula was born. Four years later, she welcomed another little sister, Claudia. She adored her two sisters and took care of them regularly. As a family, they moved no fewer than 12 times during her formative years, including three moves in a single year. Some of her favorite childhood memories included living in Seattle, Washington, in a lovely colonial house and in Santa Cruz, California, right on the beach. Laura loved school and always made excellent grades. She would even sneak off to school when she was sick, because she couldn’t stand to miss out on her classes.
After high school, she attended Oregon State University, graduating in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in education. She loved her college years immensely. She was very involved in the theater program at OSU, earning many leading roles in their productions. She was even awarded the Best Supporting Actress in 1964. Laura met Bart Miaullis at Oregon State University, and they married in August 1965. A few years later, they moved to Mountain View, California, before eventually settling in Los Altos.
In 1969, they were blessed with a son, Aaron. They later adopted a little girl, Angie, who tragically passed away at age three. In 1975, they welcomed another daughter, Kathy. Laura became a Catholic when the children were young, and helped teach CCD, a “Sunday School” program for children at the church. After their divorce, Laura returned to school to earn her California teaching credential. She went on to teach elementary school for 12 years, touching the lives of countless students with her patience, enthusiasm, and commitment to learning. Her students loved her, and she cared deeply not only about their education but also about their welfare and happiness.
Laura married Paul White in April of 1989. They thoroughly enjoyed life together, spending their retirement years gardening, doing art projects and attending plays and concerts. Their home and yard were filled with original paintings and woodcarvings by Paul, as well as homemade tiles and pottery by Laura—often crafted from repurposed items. They lived simply in the heart of the Silicon Valley, and visitors were immediately struck by the creativity displayed in their original and charming artwork.
Some notable things about Laura were her ability to make people burst into laughter, either accidentally, or by telling one of her epic stories. She was a master storyteller and could effortlessly entertain a crowd. Also, a prolific writer, she filled volumes of binders and manila folders with personal writings and journal entries that would captivate any audience. She loved to read and was very widely read. She was the queen of encouragement when you needed a nudge in the right direction. She was religious when it came to devoting herself to exercise and eating healthy. Finally, she was well known by local residents for riding around town on her trademark fat tire tricycle.
In her final decade, Laura joined a local Community Bible Study, which she thoroughly enjoyed. She read through the entire Bible at least five times and was deeply comforted and encouraged especially after the loss of her husband Paul in 2018. She truly came to cherish her times of reading and studying the scriptures and was constantly in awe of God’s goodness and kindness towards her. She prayed for all her family and friends faithfully.
Laura is survived by her two sisters, Paula and Claudia; her devoted son, Aaron; her loving dau-ghter, Kathy; and twelve cherished grandchildren (half of whom are Paul White’s grandchildren).
