Elizabeth “Libby” White died peacefully at her home at Pine Run Retirement Community on her birthday, June 30, 2022.
She was born in 1935 at Ft. Riley Kansas, the first daughter of Alfred W. and Mabel W. Liedtke. Since her father was a career Army officer, the family moved frequently: Ames, Iowa; Romulus, N.Y.; and during World War II, Aberdeen, Md. Soon after deployment to Japan in 1950, the Korean War broke out and Lt. Col. Liedtke was reassigned to Seoul, but not before the rest of the family set out in their 1948 Dodge to catch a troop transport bound from San Francisco to Tokyo. They spent the summer in Japan, but then returned to Maryland where they had to find new housing because their own home had been rented out thinking they would be away for several years.
Libby graduated from Aberdeen High School (she was a classmate of Cal Ripkin Sr.!) before getting her bachelor’s degree in music Eeucation from what is now West Chester University, where she met her future husband Lou White. Prior to their marriage she taught music at Harve de Grace Elementary School in Maryland.
She came to Pennsylvania with Lou and built a house, a home, a family and a career in Doylestown in 1964, where they raised two sons, Eric and Doug. During this time, Libby began to apply her musical background to learning and later performing on the harp, eventually even giving lessons on the instrument.
Her love of learning and working with people led her to study and earn a master’s degree in elementary guidance and counseling from Lehigh University, applying her skills in her position as a counselor in the Souderton School District.
As her interest in politics grew, Libby was instrumental in the founding of Doylestown Democrats, a group formed to support Democratic candidates for local office. It was this group that persuaded her to become a candidate herself for the position of Mayor of Doylestown in 2005. She was elected as the borough’s first female mayor after a campaign of knocking on many doors and warmly and eagerly engaging with many of her Doylestown neighbors.
While mayor, Libby helped create the Doylestown Borough Commission for all Ages whose goal was to create activities and interactions between residents of all ages. Another project was Clean and Green devoted to removing litter from the Downtown Doylestown and enhancing the quality of life for all residents.
Libby also supported several major developments contributing to the growth and development of Doylestown: the Regional Police Initiative, the location and construction of the new(est) courthouse, and the early work to create a park and new offices for both the regional police and the borough government. Libby completed her eight years as mayor in 2014, during which she was delighted to perform more than 300 weddings!
Libby is survived by her beloved husband of almost 60 years, Lou White. She is also survived by her sons Eric (Leigh) and Doug; grandson Alexander; many nieces and nephews, Carl and Bonnie White (brother and sister-in-law) and Alvin P. Montgomery (brother-in-law).
Libby was predeceased by her parents as well as two sisters, Alayne Hallman and Carol Montgomery.
Visiting hours will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 7 in the Celtic Cross Room at the Doylestown Presbyterian Church, 127 E. Court St. Additional visiting hours will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 8 followed by a celebration of Libby’s life at 11. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Garden at Pine Run via the Doylestown Health Foundation, 595 W. State St., Doylestown, PA 18901.
“It was an honor and a pleasure serving with this gracious lady and true trail blazer.”
John Davis, Doylestown Borough Manager
Arrangements are under the direction of Wade Funeral Home, Bristol Borough.
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