Charles L. White made a joyful noise unto the Lord as a bass singer and original member of the Orangemen.

The retired U.S. Air Force flight engineer was a mainstay in the Orange United Methodist Church choir and raised his voice in praise with the 13-member Orangemen bluegrass-gospel chorus.

Family photo (ENLARGE)

Charles L. White, a retired Air Force flight engineer, had a lifelong love of aviation. Here he prepares for takeoff at Charlie Brown Field in a Stearman PT-17.

"He just had the right voice and his heart was right," said Orangemen member Randy Hogue of Canton.

"It was a real joy to hear him sing," said another member of the Orangemen, Randy Smith, of Ball Ground. "You could see the joy in his face and hear the joy of the Lord in his voice."

Mr. White, 78, of Lathemtown died of pulmonary fibrosis Saturday at Kennestone Hospital. The funeral is 2 p.m. Wednesday at Orange United Methodist Church. Huey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. White served in Thailand during the Vietnam War, retired as a master sergeant and went to work at Lockheed. He took up oil painting and indulged his passion for opera and classical music. He loved the three tenors, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, said his son, David White, of Lilburn.

For his own singing, Mr. White preferred to be part of the chorus rather than a soloist. His favorite song was "Angel Band," Mr. Hogue said. As his health declined, Mr. White continued to sing in the church choir, accompanied by his oxygen bottle, and in the 15 or so performances of the Orangemen a year.

Mr. White was a dedicated church lay leader. "Charles was a man who you could depend on. He was trustworthy," Mr. Smith said. "Anytime you would turn to Charles for advice, he would share with you honestly but in Christian love."

He was a man of routine. Twice a day when he ate at the Simply Southern restaurant, he didn't even have to order. They had his regular order ready to serve the minute he sat down, Mr. Hogue said.

"I always got in on his second breakfast," Mr. Smith said. Mr. White met the biscuit makers at the door and set about making the restaurant's morning coffee about 4 or 5 a.m. He was through with his first breakfast and ready for another by the time he joined his pastor's prayer team for a

7:30 a.m. breakfast meeting, Mr. Smith said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was a major shareholder in that restaurant, as much as he ate there," his son said. His early breakfast group was retirees, many of whom had health problems, he said. They were such regulars, the restaurant's staff made sure they stuck to any diet restrictions and would admonish them when they strayed.

As a child laboring in the cotton fields, Mr. White was easily distracted by any aircraft flying over, his son said. "His brothers told me the moment he would hear an airplane, it would grab his attention and he would follow it with his eyes till it was out of sight, and he was lost the rest of the day in the clouds, daydreaming."

In the Air Force, he was responsible for everything on an aircraft except take-offs and landings, his son said. His career took him all over the world. As a child, his son was in awe when Mr. White came home from work.

"He would show up in his flight uniform, and he was as big as an astronaut to me," his son said.

Other survivors include a daughter, Sandi White of Lathemtown; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.