Charles Whyte Obituary

Chuck Whyte, a central figure in Utah's LGBTQ+ movement and a tireless advocate for community unity, has died, according to a family member, after a lifetime of service that helped stitch together the fractured threads of a growing, diverse queer population. He was 67. His name may not have always headlined the stage, but his work empowered generations to step into the light - together. Best known for founding and producing Utah's Unity Show series throughout the 1980s and early '90s, Whyte understood the power of gathering - not just for entertainment, but for survival and solidarity. At a time when the AIDS crisis was devastating lives and the LGBTQ+ community lacked centralized coordination, Whyte's shows became more than fundraisers; they were declarations of existence and mutual care. "Through unity, we can find hope. Through unity, we will fight oppression from within and without," said activist Greg Garcia during the 1986 Unity V show. That night, Garcia called on LGBTQ+ leaders to come together in response to AIDS and a fractured community. Whyte had created the stage. The next chapter of queer advocacy in Utah was launched from it. From that moment, the Gay and Lesbian Community Council of Utah was born, with Whyte elected as vice-chair. He would go on to serve multiple terms and was widely regarded as the engine behind the council's operations, often doing the unseen labor others relied upon. Whyte's reputation as a unifier extended far beyond one event. He connected groups across identities, generations, and geographies - from leather men to student unions, radical faeries to drag performers. He brought people together in church basements, barrooms, and city council meetings, never seeking the spotlight, but always laying the groundwork. He was, as one peer put it, "always putting up the chairs so others could dance." Whether as treasurer of the first Pride Day Committee in 1987, a founding member of the Utah AIDS Memorial Quilt Project, or a deacon at Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church, Whyte showed that unity was not a slogan - it was a practice. He led food drives for Crossroads Urban Center, ensured financial transparency in countless organizations, and sat on the boards of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, the Utah Stonewall Center, and the evolving Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Utah. In recognition of his work to build bridges across communities, Whyte received the Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award in 1990, and later a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1999 Diversity Is Great banquet held by the Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats. Even as activism in the LGBTQ+ community became more professionalized, Whyte continued to volunteer, often cleaning, organizing, or mentoring quietly behind the scenes. He remained active in the Royal Court into the 2000s and initiated the group's Pink Ribbon fundraisers after losing his mother to cancer - yet another example of his ability to transform personal pain into collective purpose. Gay historian and close friend Ben Williams said Whyte was more of a background organizer who helped make things happen. "As we used to say, he was always 'putting up the chairs' so others could dance. Whenever I created a community organization, I would ask Chuck to be the treasurer because no one was as meticulous (maddeningly so at times) as he was," Williams wrote in a biography in 2022. "I feel he deserves every recognition he can get because he [was] rarely in the spotlight, and while perhaps not always as articulate as some, he gave his all to building this community." Longtime activist and friend Becky Moss spoke of Whyte's compassion. "Chuck was an early recipient of the Dr. Kristen Ries Award. I always think that he received that award because of what he did every paycheck. Chuck did something unheard of: he paid his bills, and then he secretly paid the bills of others who were in need," Moss said. Whyte's legacy is not found in a single organization, title, or award, but in the countless connections he nurtured. He held fast to the belief that the LGBTQ+ community, in all its variety and complexity, was strongest when it stood together. His vision lives on in every Utah Pride, every coalition formed, and every hand held during crisis or celebration. In his own words, Chuck once said he wished everyone could be as lucky as he was - "to have family, community, and church people who love and support them." He was that support for others. He made unity not just an idea, but a living force. Service will be at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home, 1007 W South Jordan Pkwy, South Jordan, Utah on Friday, August 8. Viewing at 10 a.m., service at 11 a.m. It will be livestreamed and available for a short time.