Charles John Nau Jr.

Charles John Nau, Jr., 77, died April 6 in Washington, D.C. at Sibley Memorial Hospital. Charles was a lawyer, a lobbyist, a politico, a world traveler, loving cousin and friend, and the doting owner of many Schipperkes through the years. His rare blend of humor and brilliance was reflected at home in a whimsical wonderland of collections and artifacts, among them, subway seats from the old Paris metro and photos of his meetings with the Kennedys, Clintons, and an army of politicos. A Midwesterner, Charles was raised in Munster, Indiana, and attended Bishop Noll Institute, Hammond. He was a devoted and proud alumnus of Notre Dame, following in the footsteps of his father, who was recruited to play football for the Fighting Irish by Knute Rockne. Charles earned an A.B. maxima cum laude and went on to earn his law degree from Notre Dame. A lifelong Democrat, Charles got involved in politics as a teen-ager, volunteering for John F. Kennedy's 1960 campaign. In college, he worked on Robert Kennedy's 1968 campaign, driving Kennedy around the Midwest, introducing him on college campuses. He was devastated by the assassination. At RFK's funeral, Charles was just 50 yards from the grave at Arlington. Law school was interrupted by the draft in 1970. Charles went to Fort Hood as a specialist in the military police where he used his legal skills at the prisons. After his discharge in 1972, Charles returned to South Bend to finish law school. He graduated magna cum laude in 1974. In short order, he was doing anti-trust and First Amendment work at Cahill Gordon in New York. Soon, he was transferred to Paris, which enabled him to travel the world, negotiating contracts, mostly for oil and gas companies. Next stop was San Francisco, where he worked for Syntex, the maker of the birth control pill, and then as director of government affairs at ALZA. In his decades-long legal career, he worked on political action committees as a health care lobbyist. He remained active in Democratic politics and moved to D.C. to work as director of government affairs for Johnson & Johnson in 2001 and retired in 2016. A legend in the business of governmental work, he also left a legacy of generosity. At Johnson & Johnson, Charles would spend thousands of dollars on Christmas gifts for children. He supported Ivory Coast Mothers and Children, a clinic in north Africa, many other charities, and he hired lawyers to help his longtime aides become U.S. citizens. Charles is survived by many friends and extended family. Memorial service is private. Donations may be made in Charles's honor to Ivory Coast Mothers and Children, www.IvoryCoastAid.org.