I’ve done this before, but I wanted to add some stuff from the last column I wrote about my dad.
Tomorrow would have been my father’s 101st birthday. My mother, sisters and I lost him at an early age. Sadly, at 55 years old, he died of cancer. It’s a painful memory, but now I overlook that with fond memories. Here are some thoughts about him.
He was a courageous soldier in World War II fighting as a fighter pilot against the Japanese “Zero” pilots. As one of his great friends, the amazing 102 years young Jack Blackwell, told me one time, he was a top gun.
There were some great stories from his time in the Pacific. Uncle Jack Blackwell was also a WWII hero. They all were. Jack told me that he went over to Pearl Harbor and went to a breakfast joint and my superb Uncle, Emmet O’Neal, Craft’s father was in there reading the Birmingham Herald. This was after the attack at Pearl Harbor and Uncle Emmet had a big job as captain in the Navy building ships. Jack told me he saw him and he said, “Hello, Emmet.” Uncle Emmet lowered his paper and said in his typical nonchalant way, “Hello, Jack.”
So the two of them got together and decided to have a drink. My father was coming to see UE in his plane and was happy to see Jack with him. They had a good time to say the least. When it was time to leave, Daddy was really upset with them because he was a little lit up. He left PH and flew back to his base. The next day they called Uncle Emmet at Pearl Harbor and asked him where Lieutenant White was. Apparently he had flown to another base. He made it back, and he was such a good pilot, they laughed about it and let it go.
Uncle Emmet was a character, to say the least, but also a highly accomplished man. He grew O’Neal Steel into the stellar business it is today. He was a college wrestler and when Craft and I were youngsters, he’d get us to wrestle him. He was get on his stomach and we’d put holds on him. He was fast as a hiccup and had us both down in no time.
When he was 65, he got his physical and the doctor said he was as fit as a 35 year old. He told his wife, Aunt Mary Ann, “I owe it all to smoking and drinking.”
He and my father were tremendous friends.
One of my dad’s other great friends, Jimmy Webb from Nashville, who was like a second father to me before he passed away in 2009, told me that he was in Hawaii after the war, and he heard these men talking at the bar saying, “Whitey this and Whitey that.” He asked them if that was David White and they said. “Oh yeah, that’s Whitey.” He found daddy and they had some fun together. They were also tight. Uncle Jimmy was an accomplished football and basketball player at Vanderbilt. He went on to have a highly successful career as a banker and enjoyed his retirement years very comfortably. He had a blast in retirement and he had earned it. We were both big Vandy guys, and we went through the pain year after year pulling for our Dores. But we were undaunted. I’m still undaunted today.
Daddy was a boxer in the Navy. He was also a wrestler. When I was younger, we’d box. He had a tough right cross and a killer right hook. But we enjoyed doing some sparring. I’m a member of Battle Republic a boxing/fitness gym in Homewood and the Summit, and I believe they’ve opened one up in T-town. I boxed today for my dad. It was an emotional workout as I thought about him and hit the bag tirelessly for him.
He was a terrific husband, father and friend. He had so many friends. At his funeral, there were more men and women at Independent Presbyterian than they had ever seen. He was popular.
He decided to go against the grain and take another path after working for 20 years at O’Neal. He wanted to be a professor and teach young adults. He earned his Masters at Alabama in history, his PHD at Alabama and taught at the old BUS. One of his students, who is my eye doctor, said they played basketball with the teachers and he was one physical cat. He throw the shoulders and the elbows. He was a tough cookie.
And some other of his students, like the great Bruce Denson, told me he was an amazing teacher. I was in the post office when it was in Mountain Brook Village one time, and the postman behind the desk, saw my name on a letter and asked me, “Was your dad, Dr. White.” I said he was, and he said, “Best Professor I ever had.” Made me feel great. He made an impact for his community first at BUS teaching history and German, he was fluent in German and Spanish, and then at UAB as a history professor. He wrote a book on the Spanish Governor of Florida from 1789-1812, Juan Vicente Folch. He was in Madrid and my mom, Penny and I were with him. It was memorable. He had to translate all his research from Spanish to English. It was a lot of work. He was a hard worker.
I remember he supported my sports. I was a quarterback in 7th grade playing with guys like Craft, Joseph “Bama Golf” Donald, the late great Joey Conzelman and others. I had a good year. One game wasn’t my best. I was a little dejected afterwards, and he said, “You did well, son. I’m proud of you.” Talk about building you up when you’re not at your best. He didn’t do a ton of that, but when he did, it meant something.
I’ve been trying to get started on my Alabama 2023 football column and then get to my Auburn 2023 football column. I’ve been a little slower getting to it. I’m working on publishing my fifth book, which will come out this fall, so I’ve been concentrating on that for now. But I will have the Crimson Tide, the Tigers, them Dawgs, the Bengal Tigers, etc… coming up. SEC Media Days is next week, so plenty to come. I may have procrastinated a little on it, and I know my dad would tell me to pick it up. I’ll do that.
He was a great one like so many of that generation. All the fellas on the blog have great ones, too. Brombey, Walt, Joseph, Theo, Brownie, Derrick, etc… so I know I’m not alone in my admiration for my father. Some have passed away. A few ares still with us.
He was a special guy. I miss him to this day. It’ll always be that way. But now, they’re fun memories. I thought I might share those with you guys.
I’ll be in touch on a lot of football coming up and the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, England is next week. So, some great stuff coming up. Will keep you informed.
26 Responses
Happy Birthday to your Dad and we are all in debt to men like him that served our country! Great reflections on a great life that was unfortunately cut short. I am lucky enough to still have my Dad and reading this make me appreciate that even more. NIce work DW and I am sure he would be proud of you.
Thanks Uncle David. These stories are really special and help me feel closer to Granddaddy David. Since I never got to meet him, these memories are a wonderful gift. Thank you so much for sharing them.
David, great column about your father! You’ve spoken of him often over the years, and it sounds like he was a good father and husband. I liked story you told me about him when he was in college and somebody disrespected his date and your father took the guy outside and punched him. Your father and the WWII generation were tough men. He would be proud of you for carrying on his name and for the two wonderful daughters that you have raised.
Bringing up great memories… your dad was great at Tennis and Golf… a great man and thanks DW for the read.
Remarkable that you are able to encounter many with vivid memories of Whitey. You learn special stories that only those present would be able to speak of. I know that is a special feeling and one to chase often. May all your six-footers fall my friend.
Theo, Walter, Bama, Spike, Jacob, Thanks for the awesome comments. They mean so much. Appreciate you guys. Need to get a round in fellas.
David ,
What a great tribute to your father. We have been friends for a long time , but I never k ew anything about your Dad. Thx for sharing. Pete
Thanks, Pete!
He was such a great teacher and friend to my graduating 1968 class at Birminhgam University School. When we get together we always talk about your pop – what a great guy.
Bruce Denson Class of 68 BUS
David, what a great tribute to a great man and American hero. I know you love him. The magnificent legacy we have from all our fathers are the values they instilled in us by the way they lived their lives. You can’t put a price on that and our thankfulness is infinite. Winston
Thanks, Bruce!
Great stuff, WT. Thanks a ton.
David, what a beautiful tribute to Whitey. Very sorry you lost him when you were so young, but it looks like he made the most of his limited years in loving and supporting you, instilling timeless values, respect for self and others, and a great work ethic. Happy Birthday, Whitey, look forward to meeting you one day.
You’re the Best, BP! Thanks so much!
Great memories indeed and appreciate your sharing those stories about Uncle David with us and including my father in some of them as well. They were truly the greatest generation and miss them all.
I have lots of memories of Uncle David some of which I’d like to share, mostly from all the time I spent with the family at the White’s house. I saw firsthand what a great dad he was, always very interactive and involved with his children and me. He was very strict, and you didn’t want him catching you misbehaving. He was very intimidating, and you would be held accountable for your actions. He would often say, "whip a fanny" and we knew we better straighten up quickly. Sometimes we would run and learned that was not a good idea.
Memories of his tennis at MBC playing doubles with John Coleman, George Ladd, Richard Stockham, Percy Brower, Jack Shannon and others. They were very skilled and matches great. Tennis was so popular that on weekend early mornings and late afternoons it was almost impossible for us kids to get a court. When an adult wanted one of ours all they had to do was walk up to the gate and we were off quickly. As you know that respect and fear of adults is uncommon these days. They commanded that respect and calling adults by their first names wasn’t allowed back then without aunt or uncle in front of it.
Lastly, Uncle David and Aunt Libby had me around much more that I’m sure they wanted, letting David bring me along on lots of their family trips including skiing in Colorado and Utah, beach trips and to a dude ranch in Montana. Uncle David took just David and me to Gatlinburg and other places in the Smoky Mountains. Those are great memories, and I am blessed to have had the opportunity to spend so much time with such a great man and family.
That’s beautiful, D. Thanks for the awesome memories. I forgot to say how much you’ve done to make O’Neal Steel, now Industries, the top steel business in the country. You should be commended for that for sure along with all you’ve done for the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and so many other causes along with the great Craft’s on Church and the Southside and the Fennec! Thanks, D.
Great job David. I love hearing all those and you mentioned some stories I didn’t know. He sure was a great Dad!
Thanks, L! He really was.
What a great tribute, David! Really appreciate you sharing those memories. Although I did not have the honor of knowing your father, he was obviously quite a MAN. It brought back many treasured memories of my own father. Thank you. Jack Moores
Thanks a ton, Jack. Great to hear from you! Please, keep the comments coming!
Wonderful memories you have.
My father died at 91 a year and a half ago.
I have many similar memories.
I remember you told me that, SH. Yes, nice to have the good memories. Sorry you lost your dad recently. Thanks a lot. Talk soon.
Thank you for sharing, David!
Thanks, H!
DW – just getting to this. What a great piece. I loved it and hope you continue to write about your Dad and his friends. Those guys were real heroes and real men who stood up for what’s right.
Always great to read your stuff but this one was special
Thanks a ton, MB. Know a lot of us had awesome dads. So, I’m not alone in this regard. Thanks a lot.