Charles R. Kaut

1926 - 2021

Charles R. Kaut

October 14, 1926 - November 7, 2021

Charles Raymond Kaut, 95, passed away in his sleep on November 7, 2021, in Charlottesville, Va.

He overcame deep loss as a youth, grew up fast, joined the Army in World War II, and touched many lives in his family and as an anthropology professor at the University of Virginia, in the Philippines, and on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona.

Born on October 14, 1926, to Charles A. Kaut and Myrtle Miranda Kaut in Portsmouth, Ohio, he was only three when his railroad engineer father died in a train wreck, heroically saving a colleague. His mom raised him through the Depression working back-breaking jobs as a nurse. They were very close.

They would visit his aunt Olive, uncle Bill Redden, and their daughter Barbara, at their farm near Vanceburg, Kentucky. When tragedy struck twice more and Barbara died at 17 and Charles was orphaned at 18 by his mom's death from cancer, Olive and Bill were there for him, and he for them. In high school, Charles worked at the radio station and hustled freight at the railroad yards.

He enlisted in the Army in 1944, did well, and was sent to Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was trained by battle-hardened vets. He often wondered if he was spared from fighting at Okinawa when he was sent home to be with his dying mother, and then the war ended.

A second lieutenant at 19, he served in Panama in 1945-46, and was decorated for leading an arduous jungle search for a downed flier. He was also briefly in command of the entire Canal Zone, organizing a search for two German sailors who jumped off a ship.

After working on the farm, Charles zoomed through college at Ohio Wesleyan on the G.I. Bill, and earned his Master's Degree and PhD in Anthropology from the University of Chicago. To make ends meet, he drove taxis all over Chicago and worked in a funeral home, which he described in his Master's Thesis. He studied under well-known professors such as Robert Redfield and Fred Eggan, receiving rigorous training in social and physical anthropology, linguistics, and archaeology.

At Chicago, Charles met Rosemary Witko, a beautiful ballet dancer who worked as Redfield's secretary. He made long-lasting friendships with Mel Mednick and E. D. Hester, a mentor. He also became interested in the Western Apache and the Philippines. He often hitch-hiked to Arizona, living in the community of Cibecue and spending time in Fort Apache and Whiteriver. He worked with White Mountain Apache Tribal Chairmen Nelson Lupe and (later) Ronnie Lupe.

In 1955, Charles married Rosemary and taught a year in Wyoming. They then spent two years in the Philippines living in Kapitangan, north of Manila Bay. He learned Tagalog and befriended Edo Mapilisan, an elder who taught him many things, including about "utang na loob," a Filipino custom of repaying personal debts, which Charles studied and wrote about.

After teaching at Southern Illinois University and UVa., Charles took his wife and two boys to the Philippines for two more years. He did so much: lining up funding to pay for the research trip, ushering his family to the Philippines, and arranging for places to live while he contacted people in a foreign language to plan and build a house in Majayjay, complete with plumbing, hot water, a flush toilet and a water tower. He and his friend Abdon mapped every rice paddy in the San Roque barrio. He hiked mountain trails, including a wild trip with mayor Felix Gozo and his armed bodyguards up 7,000-foot Mount Banahao, before coming down in a nearby town and scaring people, who thought they were bandits.

Returning to UVa in 1965, Charles labored to build the Anthropology Department. For over 30 years, he taught undergrads, mentored graduate students, and recruited talent. He and Rosemary loved and raised their sons.

Charles often helped loved ones and others in need. When his friend Walter Hauser came down with a paralyzing disease, Charles took him to appointments, sometimes carrying him. Walter recovered.

In later years, he spent summers (and more) living on the White Mountain reservation in a trailer with his beloved dog Bone, and passed on information to younger Apaches, particularly his good friend Cline Griggs, who called him "Ol'Naish Chaggia Hastin" (Old Man Grasshopper) because he came and went with the seasons. He once drove from Arizona to Virginia in two days to meet a grandchild adopted from Russia.

In 2017, after two strokes, he moved to Commonwealth Senior Living in Charlottesville, filled his apartment with pictures, did crossword puzzles (he did tens of thousands in his life), and enjoyed local outings and seeing family and friends, including wonderful Bob Vernon. Rosemary was his amazing guardian angel.

Charles Kaut had a strong sense of duty that no doubt came from his mother and the legend of his father. He rose time and again to meet the challenges of life with much success.

He is survived by his loving wife, Rosemary; sons, Jonathan and David; daughters-in-law, Kathy and Norma; and grandchildren, Wyoming, Felipe, Xavier, and Samantha.

A memorial service is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, November 20, 2021, at Unity of Charlottesville church (masks required), 2825 Hydraulic Circle, with a reception at noon.

In lieu of flowers and gifts, please donate to a charity of your choice in his memory.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.hillandwood.com.

Hill & Wood Funeral Home

201 North 1st Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902