Candid Camera . Interview . Google #1 . Venues . Marketing . Morocco...... More about Elyse White From Canada While the news was not unexpected, it saddens us greatly.  Elyse White was such an inspiration to us from the time we first met her during our first ATA Congress experience in Benin. She continued to be in our hearts throughout the years. when we looked forward to the many welcome letters received from "Mama Safari" and the opportunity to visit her at her home in Harlem, whenever we were in the  New York area. We were her house guests on several occasions. A beacon of light and a shining example for many in ATA, Elyse is with the angels, joining other stalwarts of the Africa Travel Association we have had the pleasure of knowing and loving. With deepest regrets, Jerry and Muguette, Africa Travel Magazine, ATA Canada Chapter mailto:africa@dowco.com  From Cote d'Ivoire My Elyse, yes she is with the angels she was always pretty and charming always some words with all the populations in the world my Elyse I love you witl my friendships and many kisses. Therese Haury, Abijan Answer me if it was realy From Uganda Dear Carol,. Esther and I were privileged to have met your mother during the ATA's cultural and ecotourism symposium in Kampala. She was a true inspiration and a wonderful source of information, almost an encyclopedia if you allow me to put it this way, having travelled to literally every ATA event. We are very sad to hear that she has now passed on.Please accept our sincere condolences and deepest sympathy, to you, your entire family and all the friends of Elyse. Wolfgang and Esther From Kenya We are sad about Elyse and I have sent our condolences to Carol and have also invited her to the Fam tour. Peter K Muiruri, Executive Director, Hotel Adventure Travel Ltd  P.O. Box 543-00502, Tel/Fax 882774, Nairobi Kenya				From New York Dear Eddie, Nathalie, Jerry, Muguette, I wanted to let you know that our beloved Elyse White passed away last night at 6:00 PM after a brief illness.  She was 99 years old and would have been 100 in October of this year.  As you know, Elyse White was one of the founding members of ATA and a long-time member.  The last ATA event she attended was the ATA Ecotourism Symposium held in Uganda.  Up until that time, she had attended every ATA Congress and Ecotourism Symposium in the organization's history.  Her daughter, Carol, will be planning a memorial service at a later date.  In the meantime, I thought that the team at ATA would want to know.  Condolences can be sent to Elyse's daughter as follows: Carol White, 80 LaSalle, New York, NY 10027 Marlene Melton, African Ventures Inc, 50 West 97th Street, Suite 10V New York, New York 10025, Tel/Fax: 212 222 0618 or Tel: 212 280 4374 E-mail: africavent@aol.com From Atlanta, GA This is a very Sad month for ATA Family, We lose two great Ladies. I met Elyse White for the first time in Addis in 2000 and since then she's always on my mind. Sometimes I asked myself how this great and old Lady can travel from America to East Africa almost 24hours and she never complains...again i said to myself this a blesss humainbeing after 80years old she never stop to travel to Africa the Birthplace of humanity to promote tourism development...May God Bless her Daugther and give her very long  and healthy life  to continues her Mommy Legacy amen! Again my condolences to Carol and all ATA Family Members in Africa and around the planet !!! Mr Africa Ogo Sow.. From Uganda Dear Carol. I leant with sadness the death of your mother and an ATA Pillar Elyse White. As The President of ATA-Uganda Chapter, I met Elyse on the last ATA evenT she attended in Uganda. It was amazing to see her strong and participating in the Eco-Tourism symposium.  She indeed was a beacon of light and a wonderfull example to all  ATA members.  We will truly miss her .  I have passed on the message to both The President of our country and The First Lady who is the Patron of ATA-Uganda Chapter. You are in our prayers. From Nigeria We from ATA Nigeria Chapter, send our condolence to you and the entire White family and also to ATA for the lose of a Caring, loving  Mother whom we wish 'Happy Mother's Day' today.  God will be with everybody left behind. Amen. May her soul rest in perfect peace. Mama has been blessed with good memories. Let Jerry  kindly send us her picture for memory in our achieves. Thanks. Chief Margaret Bola Fabiyi (Rev. Mrs,), Chairperson ATA Nigeria Chapter., Member of International Board  of Trustee of ATA. From Mali oh what a bad news , my sincere condolences to her family and the whole ATA's family   Mariama Ludovic de Lys From California Ogo, Please pass on to Carol White regarding her magnificent mother who was an inspiration to us all.  She has always been my heroine. She has inspired me and gave me hope that I too can travel into my 90's as she did.  She was youthful to the very end.  May she rest in peace. Sylvia Frommer-Mracky & Ronald Mrack Ghana Honors 91 Year Old Elyse White as an Ashante Queen Elyse White, who lives and works in Harlem, New York was 'enstooled' at the American Travel Market in Orlando just prior to her 90th birthday. The event was part of a gala Africa Night, hosted by Ghana Airways and the Ghana Ministry of Tourism. One of ATA's most exciting and youngest-thinking members, Elise is a personal friend of our Associate Editor Muguette Goufrani, who first met her at the ATA Biannual EcoTourism Symposium in Marrakech, Morocco, 1996. Since then, we've enjoyed being in her company at an exciting series of events in Africa, and as her guest while in New York. Elise is a founding member of the Africa Travel Association, and has attended all ATA World Congresses in its 24 years of operation. Elyse's experience of being honored by Ghanaians as a Queen of Africa is reflected in her own words. "The news came to me as a complete surprise, when I received the phone message from the Africa Travel Association, "Elise, you are to be enstooled as a Ghanian Queen Mother! The ceremony will take place in Orlando, Florida." My answer was one of complete bewilderment. " What does that mean? What do I do ?" I did not want to appear ungrateful. I knew that this was one of the highest honors that could be bestowed upon a non Ghanian. Puzzled, I wondered out loud," Do I deserve it?" I spoke to my daughter Carol later and told her the news. Her reply. " Mother, you have certainly shown your dedication to Africa. How many African countries have you visited?" "Why 25 ", I replied, " and I have taken groups to Africa." "Indeed you have mother and I know what difficulties that entailed; complaining clients when hotel facilities were not up to standard ... your dismay when airlines in Africa canceled flights unexpectedly, "and dozens of others incidents. Then, remember the awards you have won from the Africa Travel Association as cofounder, and mentor. And haven't you attended all 23 of their yearly conferences held in Africa? " Yes. I had to agree. Africa had been an important part of my life since 1976, my friends asked me "What is so special about Africa?" I thought about the primeval instinct aroused at seeing a pride of lions, mother and cubs, awakening from their sleep on the plains of Kenya: a leopard high in a tree devouring his night's kill, or the majestic giraffe, head held high cropping his breakfast from a tree. Or the gathering of elephants, impala, zebras and others animals at the water hole, or the sight of and enraged elephant, when intruders passed too close by her and her calf and her primeval rage as her ears flapped, her eyes narrowed and her bellowing trumpeting could be heard for miles; or the crossing over the stream of thousands of a wart hogs, sometimes followed closely by an anticipatory predator, and some falling to a watery grave in the rushing waters, or the sight of thousands of flamingos in Kenya, forming a pink cloud. Or the emotion engendered by the rhythmic dancers of Ghana, young women swaying to an inner beat, or the Massai, blanket draped over one shoulder, leaping high in the air, spear in hand. Then the earnest pleas of the ministers and heads of stage as they addressed our conferences for recognition of the goals and hopes of these so called "Third World" Countries, as they struggled against poverty, crime and diseases; or the warm acceptance by the people." I would accept with humility the crown with would align me with Mother Africa." From NYATA Newsletter The Life and Times of Elyse White Last summer, Elise White wore a red patent leather bikini to the beach. Her retort to people's disbelief that n eighty-nine old woman could do such a thing?-- A shrug of the shoulders and a simple "why not?" It has been this kind of unyielding attitude that has helped Mrs. White live a long and fulfilling life. In celebration of African Heritage Month, the City College of New York, Office of Academic Advising presented "the life of Elise White" Mrs. White was born on October 1, 1908 in Roanoke, Virginia. She earned her bachelor's degree, cum laude, from Howard University in 1930. Mrs. White went on to achieve her post baccalaureate degree from Catholic and American Universities. After the Great Depression, Mrs. White worked as a social investigator for the New York City Department of Welfare. Later, she worked at several New York City hospitals as a medical social worker. In 1960, she began yet another career as a teacher with the New York City Board of Education. And at the age of sixty-one, Elise White left the Board of Education to become a travel Agent/consultant, a career that she is still pursuing at the age of ninety. She has visited over twenty-five countries in Africa and more than eighty countries worldwide. Recently "enstooled" as an honorary Ashante Queen Mother by the Government of Ghana, she was honored for helping to bridge the geographical and cultural boundaries that separate Africans. An active member in many civic and cultural organizations, Mrs. White encourages all to be perseverance and to never stop having goals and aspirations. More personal biographies. Associate Editor/ Publisher Muguette Goufrani is producing a special "Africa Travel Personalities Section" for the ATA 2000 Congress in Addis Ababa. If you have items on this topic, fax them to Muguette at 604-681-6595 or e-mail airhwy@dowco.com     [Home][Top of page]