Audrey White, 94, of Sioux Falls passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at Sanford Hospice Centennial Cottage in Sioux Falls. Visitation with the family present will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026, at George Boom Funeral Home. Her funeral service will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 16, 2026, also at the funeral home. Private family burial will be held at Norway Lutheran Cemetery in rural Garretson.
Audrey Lucille (Berdahl) White was born on June 17, 1932, to Hilmer Sylvester and Sophia Emma Louise (Kindler) Berdahl in Garretson. Sophia passed away when Audrey was 3 years old and she was raised by her grandfather, Christopher, along with her father Hilmer and sister, Lois. Audrey started singing when she was 5 years old, as a write up in the paper dubbed her the “Sweetheart of the Roundup” at the American Legion Auxiliary Roundup. Audrey continued singing throughout school, winning first place in many contests.
On July 22, 1951, Audrey was united in marriage to Lawrence Raymond White in Garretson. Together, they raised their five children: Terry, Linda, Larry, Loren and Tammy. Audrey worked at Western Surety before starting a family. Audrey was always a town kid and wasn’t too sure about living in the country. She eventually fell in love with it and started raising sheep. Audrey could just stand on the porch and yodel for the sheep to come in for the night. She was a real shepherdess. Audrey had three real loves in her life: her family, music and the sheep!
Audrey was in a contest to appear on the Ted Mack show and she went on to Manchester, where she sang for the Easter Seals, appearing on TV. She met Clint Eastwood while singing on the program, while at that time he was playing the role of Rowdy on “Rawhide.”
Audrey sang in the many musicals that were produced by the Sioux Valley Hospital Auxiliary, such as “The King and I,” “Carmen,” “Brigadoon,” etc. She also sang in plays produced in rural areas. Audrey teamed up with her daughters, Linda and Tammy, and formed The Heavenly Touch, which performed in local churches for several years.
Grateful for having shared her life are her son, Terry (Linda) White of Auburn, Wash.; daughter, Linda (Kenny) Demuth of Sioux Falls; son, Larry (Hye) White of St. Roberts, Mo.; son, Loren White of Graham, Wash.; daughter, Tammy (Bill) Hagerty of Sioux Falls; grandchildren, Amber (Jared) Webb, Jason (Trissan) White, Eric Demuth, Sarah Asuncion, Anna (Dustin) Crouch, Joshua White, Darcie White, Emily White, Elizabeth Albers, Morgan Baade, Shelby (Dylan) Klinghagen, Dylan (Kylie) Hagerty and Alauna Hagerty; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Audrey was preceded in death by her parents, Hilmer and Sophia (Kindler) Berdahl; husband, Lawrence White; and sister, Lois Heesch.
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