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USC football great Charles White remembered in fitting fashion

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LAKE FOREST — The life of Charles White was celebrated Saturday with the exact type of pomp and circumstance the former USC running back would have wanted.

The memorial service for White, who died last month at the age of 64 from cancer, was decorated with cardinal and gold flowers surrounding his urn, painted with his school’s colors. Pictures from the 1979 Heisman Trophy winner’s career lined Saddleback Church. And the Trojan band performed for family and friends as they entered and exited the auditorium.

“Charles loved ‘SC. It was in his blood,” former Trojan quarterback Paul McDonald told the gathered mourners. “Walking down the Coliseum tunnel, for those of us in the crowd that got to experience that, there was nothing quite like that before a game. To his last days on this planet, he was wearing his Trojans sweatsuit. He loved ‘SC.”

The USC Marching Band gives former USC running back and Heisman Trophy winner Charles White, a Trojan sendoff during White’s celebration of life at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest on Saturday, February 11, 2023. White, one of the most decorated athletes in college football history, died of cancer on Jan. 11 at age 64.
(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Gospel Ensemble performs, “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” during a celebration of life ceremony for Charles White, at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest on Saturday, February 11, 2023. White, one of the most decorated athletes in college football history, died of cancer on Jan. 11 at age 64. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An enlarged copy of the 1978 Sports Illustrated cover featuring USC running back and Heisman Trophy winner, Charles White, adorns the chapel during his celebration of life service in Lake Forest on Saturday, February 11, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Lake Forest, CA – February 11: Ashton White fondly remembers his dad, former USC running back and Heisman Trophy winner Charles White, during a celebration of life service at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest on Saturday, February 11, 2023.(Photo by Mindy Schauer/MediaNewsGroup/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

Paul McDonald, right, a former USC quarterback who played with Heisman Trophy winner, Charles White, in the late 70s, takes part in White’s celebration of life sendoff at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest on Saturday, February 11, 2023. White, one of the most decorated athletes in college football history, died of cancer on Jan. 11 at age 64.
(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Paul McDonald, a former USC quarterback who played with Heisman Trophy winner, Charles White, in the late 70s, takes part in White’s celebration of life sendoff at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest on Saturday, February 11, 2023. White, one of the most decorated athletes in college football history, died of cancer on Jan. 11 at age 64.
(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A couple hundred friends, family and fans, remember USC1979 Heisman Trophy winner, Charles White, During a celebration of life service for him in Lake Forest on
Saturday, February 11, 2023. White, one of the most decorated athletes in college football history, died of cancer on Jan. 11 at age 64. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A couple hundred friends, family and fans, remember USC1979 Heisman Trophy winner, Charles White, During a celebration of life service for him in Lake Forest on
Saturday, February 11, 2023. White, one of the most decorated athletes in college football history, died of cancer on Jan. 11 at age 64. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Tara White, right, the daughter of USC Heisman Trophy winner, Charles White, and other family members, get a standing ovation during White’s celebration of life service in Lake Forest on Saturday, February 11, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Tara White, left, the daughter of late USC running back and Heisman Trophy winner Charles White, and his ex-wife Judi White-Basch speak during a celebration of White’s life Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest. White died of cancer Jan. 11 at the age of 64. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Numerous USC luminaries gathered to celebrate White, who to this day remains USC’s leading rusher. Anthony Davis, Ronnie Lott and Mike Garrett were among the dozens of former Trojans who gathered before and after the service to catch up and share stories about the Trojan legend.

The service opened with a round of applause for White. James Brown’s “Super Bad” played over a highlight reel of White’s USC career, intercut with pictures from the running back’s life with his family. Speakers told stories of his athletic feats, from middle school coaches in San Fernando Valley waiving his registration fees to his legendary performance against Ohio State in the 1980 Rose Bowl.

“Was there anyone, pound for pound and inch for inch, tougher than Charles White?” asked Pete Arbogast, the longtime voice of USC radio who was a student broadcaster during White’s college career. “Not very big of stature, certainly, but no bigger heart was there ever to wear the USC football uniform.”

White faced his share of difficulties in life, from addiction to dementia, and the speakers Saturday were honest about those challenges, which led to a split with his ex-wife, Judi White-Basch, with whom White had five children.

But the pair never gave up on their relationship entirely. White-Basch stayed by White’s side during his battle with cancer.

When White lost 25 pounds suddenly and doctors would not admit him into the emergency room because his blood results came up negative, it was White-Basch who called USC athletic director Mike Bohn. Within a few hours, Bohn had assembled a team of USC Keck doctors to help White through his illness.

“You took care of my brother until the last breath,” White’s half-brother James Gordon told White-Basch. “Until the last breath.”

White-Basch focused on a different aspect from her ex-husband’s final days. Speaking beside their daughter, Tara, wearing White’s USC varsity jacket, White-Basch spoke about White’s positivity in his final days.

“The man was a hero. He never complained. He asked us how we were,” White-Basch said. “We’d say, ‘How are you doing, Charles?’ ‘One hundred percent.’”

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But after their complicated history, White-Basch closed her remarks with one final lesson from White: forgiveness.

“I’ve got some stories, man,” White-Basch said to laughter from the assembled. “But that man loved me. He would have laid down his life for me, I would have given my life for him. And we got the honor to share what most people don’t share. And it was forgiveness and pure love. But we had to get to the point where we’re leaving this earth to do that with each other. I implore you to love the person that you’re next to, and forgive.”

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