08/07/2026
This London Planetree at the North side of the Amp is dedicated to Nancy and Harry White in honor of the 16-year labor of love and hospitality given joyfully to the stewardship of the Chautauqua Inn, formerly at 16 North Terrace. From 2005 to 2021, Nancy and Harry White, with the help of their daughter Lauralynn White and her children Garret and Ashton Era, provided an authentic Chautauqua experience for their guests.
After Nancy‘s career as an RN in nursing and long-term care administration and Harry’s callings, first as a teacher of physics and higher maths and later as a self-taught computer programmer systems analyst for SMS, then Siemens, they spent their retirement years creating a welcoming space for weekly guests who considered the Inn their “Chautauqua Home“. The Whites upheld and passed on the storied history and traditions of Chautauqua Institution to all they encountered on the grounds. Conversations in the parlour centered on the lectures and entertainments of the day. These discussions, combined with hot coffee and homemade muffins (sometimes burnt!), built life-long friendships while nourishing both mind, body and spirit. The porch light was always on until the last guest returned for the evening and late-night post concert Scrabble and Boggle games occasionally ended with guests quite literally rolling on the floor with laughter!
In their free time, Nancy and Harry fully enjoyed all that Chautauqua has to offer. They attended nearly every 10:45 lecture and most evening entertainments as well as a multitude of other programs. In later years, Harry could always be found in his lawn chair at the 2pm Hall of Philosophy lecture “listening with his eyes closed“. Nancy loved the early morning bird and garden walks and became a life member of the Bird Tree and Garden Club, winning the Shade Garden of the Year Award in 2009 for the Inn’s gardens. She also became a Life Member of the Women’s Club – volunteering at the “Flea Boutique” for many years, urging costumers to “Buy!Buy!Buy!” with her megaphone! Harry was frequently found in deep conversation with community members on the grounds, often initiated by his vast collection of physics, science and math-themed t-shirts. Encouraged by the amount of interest in the community, he ultimately gave a talk entitled “From Maxwell‘s Equations to String Theory” at the Hall of Christ. He could also be found on the lake sailboarding or water skiing in his special way: using just one foot to hold the tow rope and one foot on the slalom ski! Always a teacher at heart, Harry taught many young people to waterski over the years.
Although the Inn has been sold, and they are now TRULY retired, Nancy and Harry still frequently spend time in Chautauqua. They can be found in “their” seats just behind the soundboard whenever they are in residence.
