Donald T. White ’65 By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer
upon a series of improvements in its athletic faciliDonald T. White ’65, former coach and athletic ties to include the development of Foster Stadium. director, died Aug. 17, 2021. He was 79. VMI also received the Big South Sportsmanship Matriculating from Newport News, Virginia, Award for six consecutive years. White was a stellar athlete in high school, lettering As impressive as his accomplishments were as in seven sports. As a cadet, he continued to excel a coach and an administrator, what stood out in sports. He played football all four years and was to other people about White was his character, the co-captain of the 1964 team. As a baseball especially his ceaseless concern for other people. player, he was as capable as a defensive player as James H. Chapman III ’69, longtime member of he was at the plate. Named to the All-Southern the VMI Keydet Club’s Board of Governors and Conference Team for three straight years for his the organization’s president from 2005-07, recalled, play as a shortstop, he also led the team in batting. “In all my years of involvement with VMI athletics He would receive the Pres Brown Athletic Cup in and the Keydet Club, I have known few individuals recognition of his athletic prowess, and 10 years who have had such a deep affection for his players, after he graduated, he was inducted into the VMI his coaches, his staff, and the Corps of Cadets. Both Sports Hall of Fame. he and Bettie were always going out of their way to White did not limit his pursuit of excellence to the make all of them feel they were valuable additions playing field, however. A civil engineering major, to the Institute family.” he was a Distinguished Military Graduate and Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84, who was the executive was named to Who’s Who in American Colleges. vice president and later chief operating officer for Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the field the VMI Keydet Club, worked closely with White artillery after graduation, like many of his brother from 2000 until White’s retirement. He remembers rats, White served in Vietnam. During his service, White as “the consummate VMI man. He was a he received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and fierce competitor, outstanding coach, consummate five awards of the Air Medal. educator, and true friend to several generations of In 1971, he returned to VMI, taking a job coachVMI cadet-athletes and alumni. But most of all, ing defense for the football team. Applying his he was one of the finest, most likable, and kindest knowledge of the game and his strong leadership White ’65 people I’ve ever known. Together with the colskills, he developed the cadet-athletes he coached laboration of our respective staffs, we raised the annual support for VMI into a formidable defensive unit that was highly ranked not only in the athletics from about $1 million to nearly $3.2 million per year. His affable, Southern Conference but nationally, as well. While he was on staff, the team can-do personality enabled the Keydet Club to thrive and engage so many won two Southern Conference Championships and a state championship. in support of VMI athletics.” Ten years after he came back to post, White took the helm of the baseball In the Institute’s official announcement of White’s death, Maj. Gen. team. In his first year, he was named Southern Conference Coach of the Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, said, “Coach White brought a passion Year. His team went on to win 85 games in his first six years as a coach and, for many sports, a level of leadership and good sportsmanship, and drive to in 1987, played for the Southern Conference Championship. compete that hundreds of athletes, like myself, will never forget.” In 1992, he left the Institute and became the athletic director of Patrick Perhaps the best distillation of White’s character and his contributions Henry High School in Richmond, Virginia. During the next six years, the to the life of the Institute came from Col. Thomas W. Davis ’64, author of school’s football team won 57 of 65 games, as well as five district and four “The Corps Roots the Loudest: A History of VMI Athletics” and longtime regional titles. In 1994, Patrick Henry took home the trophy for the State history professor. “If I were to reduce my thoughts about him to one word, AAA Division 5 Championship. it would be care,” said Davis, who also served as chair of the VMI Athletic White returned to VMI in 1998, this time as the athletic director, a posiCouncil. “Donny White cared. He cared about all cadets, not just the tion he would hold for 15 years. During that time, White led the effort to cadet-athletes. He cared about all coaches and all members of the athletic develop a robust women’s sports program. Although there were only 160 department staff. And he cared about the faculty and staff. All this caring female cadets when he began this work, VMI eventually established seven meant he cared about the Institute—and everyone connected with it, inteams, including water polo. He also was responsible for moving conference cluding alumni. Let us long remember his caring and try to care as he did.” affiliations for all sports, ensuring opportunities for meaningful competition White is survived by his wife of 34 years, Bettie; four children; and 10 for every team. In spring 2013, he was instrumental in VMI’s return to the grandchildren. Southern Conference. Under his leadership, the Institute also embarked
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VMI Alumni Review
