Salt Lake Tribune Obituary

Elyse Pantke White
Elyse Pantke White 1974 ~ 2008 Elyse Pantke White was born March 11, 1974 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Fred and Connie Pantke. She was the third of three wonderful gifts they brought into the world. Elyse was a proud alumna of both Skyline High School and the University of Utah. She was an active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and recently served as the Treasurer of the Alumnae Association. At a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity function, Elyse met the love of her life, Ross, and the two were inseparable. They were married at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Salt Lake City on May 16, 1998. In addition to her professional accomplishments with Banana Republic, the Attorney General's office, and Workspace Designs, she owned and ran her own corporate gift company, The Gift Horse. She also gave of herself to many charitable foundations such as St. Vincent de Paul, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and various Greek Orthodox charities. She always managed to find extra hours in the day to spend with her other loves including her nieces, nephews, cousins, siblings, parents, and many friends. She relished traveling the world with Ross and leaving her stamp on the rest of humanity. From the day Elyse was born, she has been the epitome of generosity, hospitality, goodness, and purity with a positive spirit and great outlook on life in spite of her health struggles. She embraced all that was good and right in this world and always approached every challenge with grace, smiles, and laughter. She was an expert at knowing when to bend or break the rules, all the while assuring you the decision was the right onethat was her personality. She was preceded in death by her Papou, Andrew W. Souvall; her grandparents, Alvin and Maxine Pantke; and her father-in-law, Houston White. She will be greatly missed by her loving husband; her parents; her mother-in-law, Barbara White; her brother, Mark (TiaLisa); their children, Brieon, J.B., Michail, and Kayla; her sister, Andrea (Todd) Rosenkrantz; their children, Cassandra, Julia, and Nikolas, her YiaYia, Toula P. Souvall, her godparents, Helen and Larry Petersen; and numerous aunts; uncles; cousins; extended family and friends. And, of course, her favorite dog, Oskereneus Laverneus White (we just call her Oski). A viewing will be held on Tues., May 27th, from 6-8 p.m. at Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church located at 5341 S Highland Drive. Funeral services will be held Wed., May 28th at 12 Noon also at Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church. In lieu of flowers, Elyse has requested donations be made, in her name, in celebration of her life to help research a cure. Donations can be made to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation by mail at 500 Huntsman Way, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108 or online at http://www.huntsmancancerfoundation.org/donate.php May her memory be eternal. P.S. Amen, sista!! Published in the Salt Lake Tribune from 5/24/2008 - 5/27/2008.