SHS in the News

Tributes flow for former Sheffield High Business Manager, Kath White

Tributes to Kath White have been coming in from past pupils and colleagues since the news broke of her death in hospital on New Year’s Day.

Kath worked at the School for 44 years and, for much of that time, was the School’s Business Manager. She was very well liked and respected by everyone who knew her during the many years she served the School.

Kath’s funeral will take place on Wednesday 11 January at 12 noon at Ranmoor Church, followed by a private family cremation. At Kath’s request, the family has decided not to hold a wake following the service. Donations (please make cheques payable to Yorkshire Cancer Research), in lieu of flowers, would be appreciated. Please send to c/o John Heath, Funeral Directors, 2-16 Earsham Street, Sheffield, S4 7LS, tel: (0114) 272 2222 or send to the School at 10 Rutland Park, Sheffield S10 2PE for us to forward to them.

Kath White started work at Sheffield High School in the 60s as an office junior and steadily worked her way up to the post of Business Manager during her 44 years of service. She worked under four head teachers who all attended celebratory functions in her honour during the summer of 2011, including Kath’s retirement event at the Cutlers’ Hall and the SHOSA (Sheffield High Old Students & Staff Association) annual reunion in June.

During her time as Business Manager, Kath oversaw the tremendous development work which has taken place particularly over the last fifteen years and included –

• Purchase of the Junior School building
• New building for the dining room
• Sports Hall
• Refurbishment to create our drama studio
• Installation of our Astroturf surface on “The Keelings” site
• Extension to the Moor Lodge Building with additional Art Studio & ICT room
• Refurbished ICT Language Suite
• Extension to provide additional Science labs

• Lease of the present Infant School building
• Refurbishment of the existing science labs
• Hall refurbishment including staging, curtains and lighting for productions
• Acquisition of the current Sixth Form building plus subsequent refurbishment and extension
• Refurbishment of the reception area

Support staff, teaching staff, GDST officials and contractors who had worked for the school joined in the celebrations at the Cutlers’ Hall in July. Following presentations by current head teacher, Valerie Dunsford from Sheffield High School, from the Girls’ Day School Trust by the previous head, Margaret Houston and from the other business managers in the GDST represented by Barbara Lockley of Shrewsbury High School, Kath entertained the audience with numerous anecdotes from years gone by.

In 2006, Kath received the Silver Award at the Head Teacher’s PA of the Year Awards from among the 35 finalists who were invited to the ceremony at the Savoy Hotel in London. In her support for Kath’s award, Headmistress Valerie Dunsford described Kath in glowing terms – “She is totally trustworthy and unfailingly cheerful and positive, inspiring me (and the heads before me) to have the courage to take risks and to move the school forward.”

Last February Kath realised that she was becoming seriously ill and she then began to spend time travelling. This included a new taste for cruising and she took voyages around the Mediterranean and the British Isles, the latter being a retirement gift to her from Sheffield High School staff. Kath had been receiving further hospital treatment since before Christmas and remained in good spirits throughout. She passed away peacefully in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Commenting on Kath’s passing, Headmistress Valerie Dunsford said: “Kath had such a positive impact on so many different areas of day to day school life. During her time at Sheffield High School, she built up an enormous bank of knowledge about the school, its history and its traditions and, most importantly, its girls and their families and she remembered something about almost every girl who came through the school. Kath enriched the whole school community with her love of life, her positivity, her vigour and her wonderful sense of humour; she will be terribly missed by all who knew her.”

Further tributes to Kath have been coming in since the news broke –

• “I think it no exaggeration to say that she was one of those in the School’s distinguished history who contributed most to the School. She was also appreciated for her sense of humour and personal kindness by virtually everyone who had the privilege of knowing her and that was certainly true of all those in Head Office during my time at the Trust. I always enjoyed meeting her and always left Sheffield High buoyed by her efficiency, organisation, devotion to the school and her ‘down-to-earth’ common sense, not to mention the constant twinkle in her eye. She will be remembered most fondly by those of us who appreciated all that she did for the School, as well as her contribution to the wider Trust community.” – Anne Hogg (former Chairman of the Girls’ Day School Trust)

• “Kath was integral to Sheffield High and never without a smile. I still remember her greeting me on the day of my entrance exam” – Emma Blackburn, Head Girl (2002-2003) and now a reporter with BBC’s ‘Look North’

• “Kath was great, so much fun, so wise and her ‘just get on with it’ attitude was so helpful to me as a School Business Manager. I do miss her.” – Anne Shepherd (School Business Manager, Bromley High School)

I think Kath would appreciate this:
‘Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well presented body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘Woo hoo, what a ride!’ – Unknown (taken from Paul McGee author of SUMO)

• “I read of Mrs White’s passing this evening and was extremely sad to hear that. She did an awful lot for me in my last few years and was a fantastic woman. I have no doubt she will be sorely missed by many people. Judging by the reaction on Facebook she was loved by many! She was inspirational and I can’t thank her enough” – Juliet Carlisle, Head Girl (2007-2008)

• “Kath was such an inspiration in her work at school and so full of life.” – Graham Royle (Sheffield High School Governor)

• “Really sad news, she was so lovely and caring” – former pupil

• “I was at the High School when Kath was appointed as Miss Brown and saw her progress over the years with much admiration for her tact and diplomacy as well as her remarkable efficiency. She had more than earned her retirement and we must all feel the deepest regret that it was cut short in this way.” – former member of staff and SHOSA member

• “She will be sorely missed! I remember her well from my own time at the school!” – former pupil

• “The world will certainly be a duller place without Kath. I’m sure everyone at Sheffield is devastated, as we who knew Kath, are at Trust Office.” – Donna Saby, Human Resources, Trust Office

• “She was such a lovely lady and even remembered me last year when I saw her at the school (after 20 years!). How very, very sad” – former pupil

• “Kath was a very special person – a one-off. She always brought joy and humour as well as common sense to everything and I will always smile when I think of her. Please send my condolences to her family and friends.” – Rosemary Hirst (School Business Manager, Kensington)

• “What a sad loss, what a wonderful ambassador for SHS, a great servant to the school and huge loss to the SHS community” – former pupil

• “I will always remember the last time that I saw Kath. It was at the evening meal at the 2010 School Business Managers’ Conference. She gave a very amusing farewell speech and appeared to be looking forward so much to doing all thing things that she had planned for her retirement with her partner. She was very upbeat and had us all in stitches with her various tales and reminiscences of her time with the Trust and Sheffield High. I’ll remember the joy of that evening when I think of Kath.” – Philip O’Hallaran (School Business Manager, Sydenham)

• “What lovely tributes. She was always a ray of sunshine around Sheffield High…and always up for a giggle!“ – former pupil

• “You will know better than many just what a wonderful character Kath was and also how much SHS meant to her. For me, she was always someone who enriched things with her love of life, her earthy and down to earth humour and her vigour, so she will be terribly missed by very many people.” – Garry Neave (Former Education Director, Girls’ Day School Trust)

• “Mrs White was genuinely the most happy lady I’ve ever met.” – former pupil

• “It was my pleasure and privilege to know Kath. She was the first person to give me advice when I joined Trust and continued so to do in her inimitable way for the next 14 years. I loved her wicked sense of humour and way of pricking those who had pretensions.” – Dick Goodenough (former School Business Manager, Wimbledon High School)

• “I remember her very well, lovely lady, always a friendly face in the office all those years ago.” – former pupil

• “I’m so glad that we had such a memorable evening in the summer with Kath and so many past and present friends (we were always more than just colleagues at SHS). I shall always remember the support given to me and the Junior School from Kath and I’m so disappointed that she has not been able to enjoy a full retirement.” – Mary Philpott (Former Head of Sheffield High Junior School)

• “I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. White for the first time at last June’s Annual Reunion (she came to SHS some years after I left), and was impressed, not only by her friendliness and devotion to the school, its staff and students, but also by her positive attitude and resilience in face of her medical history. It’s sad she was not given health and time to enjoy her retirement; however, I sensed that she considered the love and support she received from you all over the years to be among her greatest blessings and this was a comfort to her. She was a courageous lady who will be greatly missed.” – SHOSA member