Icon’s outdoor legacy lives on

One of North Carolina’s most iconic outdoorsmen, Franc White, 85, producer of the “Southern Sportsman” television show from 1972 to 1996, passed away this June; however, his memory will live on via a memorial fund established in his honor. 

White is best known as an expert outdoor sportsman, writer, and conservationist. He made the “Southern Sportsman” show an institution in households throughout the South for more than 25 years. His show included one of the foremost live cooking segments on television, and he was widely known as “Julia Child of the Wild.” The show’s cooking segment and his recipe books especially appealed to his female viewers who were eager to learn how to prepare the day’s hunting and fishing prizes. 

Although thousands have his cookbooks, tapes of his shows, and memories of “Stalking the Wily Whelk,” “Goodbye, Little Tennessee,” and the “Poor Man’s Tarpon,” few are aware of the extent of his conservation and environmental efforts. White successfully stopped commercialization on many of the Carolina islands, one of which was the last nesting ground for some Atlantic sea turtles. His daughters Libby and Shaun remember their father constantly agonizing over the loss in just half a century of so many natural resources and the deterioration of the planet, a loss he felt his grandchildren and great-grandchildren would probably never comprehend, yet have to endure. 

“From his plane, his boat, his canoe, even his cookbooks, all painted with his trademark zebra stripes, dad always reminded everyone just how deeply sportsmen care about protecting our outdoors,” daughter Libby said. “He also knew the future of those outdoors we love will depend on our ability to raise up new voices for conservation. That’s why he ended each and every show imploring us to ‘Do yourself a favor, take a kid fishing’.” 

The Franc White Legacy Fund will be used to strengthen the North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s outreach programs that bring the voices of sportsmen and others to the conservation decision-making table. Contributions may be sent c/o N.C. Wildlife Federation at 1024 Washington St., Raleigh, N.C. 27605, by calling 800.264.6293 or online at ncwf.org/support/honor.php.