Mott Heir Claire White Dies

Claire Mott White passed away on Monday at the age of 75. White was the daughter of Harding Mott and the granddaughter of Charles Stewart Mott who helped found General Motors and created the C.S. Mott Foundation. Her son, Ridgway White, said "she was first a mother, second an artist, a ceramicist to be exact, and she was a philanthropist. She was very loving and generous and cared a lot about Flint and the people in it."

Flint Mayor Dayne Walling added to people remembering White saying she "was the force behind more good projects in Flint than many people know. She proudly carried on and creatively expanded the Mott family's commitment to Flint. Claire White's passing is a deep loss to the Flint community and all of our thoughts go out to her family. She will be forever remembered in our community for her great generosity, enduring dedication and amazing spirit."

White, who's husband William White has been the president of the Mott Foundation since 1976, was named a trustee of the Mott Foundation in 1997 and served on the board of the Flint Institute of Arts, C.S. Harding Foundation and the Isabel foundation. According to MLive, she also taught ceramics at the FIA and in 2008, White and her husband received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the FIA for their contributions as supporters and their work advocating for the arts and culture in Flint and Genesee County.