Hauser Walter

Walter Hauser, Professor Emeritus in History at the University of Virginia, died in the care of his family and Hospice of the Piedmont on June 1, 2019, at the age of ninety-one. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Florence Jacobs Hauser; and his children, Sheila M. Hauser of Crozet, and Michael A. Hauser and his wife, Elizabeth Hauser, of Durham, North Carolina. He is also survived by his sister, Elsie Jackson of Dumas, Texas. Walter's grandchildren, Rosemary Joss, Annaliese Hauser, and Theodore Hauser and his fiancée, Cristy Villalobos, remember him with great love and respect. Also important to him is his longtime Indian friend and collaborator, Kailash Jha, his wife, Abha and their daughters, Richa and Archita of New Delhi, Patna and London, who have become an integral part of our extended family. In his life's work of studying, teaching, and communicating to others his love and understanding of the history and culture of India, he leaves many dear friends, colleagues, and students who were a vital part of his life and identity. He was predeceased by his wife of 51 years, Rosemary Fleming Hauser; his parents, George and Amalie Hauser; and his brother, Henry Hauser. Walter was born in Lorain, Ohio, on June 14, 1927. In his youth, his family lived in Canada and Germany before settling in Canton, Ohio. Walter graduated from McKinley High School, upon which he received what he liked to call his invitation from Harry Truman to join the armed forces. He served for two years as an army clerk and typist until the end of World War II. With the help of the GI bill he was able to attend college at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, where he met Rosemary Fleming in French class. They married on August 28, 1949 and moved to Chicago, Illinois so that Walter could attend the University of Chicago where he pursued two graduate degrees in history. He originally chose to study German history because of his German and Eastern European heritage; however, a lecture on India fascinated him and changed the course of his life. In 1957, Walter and Rosemary travelled to India so that Walter could begin research for his PhD thesis. It was in Allahabad, India, that their daughter, Sheila was born. After a year, Rosemary and Sheila returned to live with Rosemary's parents, Arthur and Edith Ann Fleming in Garden City, Kansas, while Walter continued his studies and research in Patna, Bihar. There he discovered valuable primary source research material on the Kisan Sabha peasant political movement in 1929-1942 led by the Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, on whom he became an expert. In 1959 the family returned to Chicago where Michael was born in 1960. Upon the completion of his PhD, Walter accepted a position as Assistant Professor in history at the University of Virginia, moving with his family to Charlottesville in the summer of 1960. As the only professor of non-American or European history, he taught a wide variety of classes. As the history department grew, Walter was able to concentrate on his own subject of early twentieth century peasant movements in Bihar state. Walter founded the Center for South Asian Studies expanding the University's Asian and world studies program. Walter and his family travelled back and forth to India multiple times for further research, transported to and from the airport by dear friend Dick Dodge. In 1967, Walter was stricken with Guillain Barre Syndrome. Though almost completely paralyzed, he persisted with physical therapy to rebuild his nervous system and muscles and made a complete recovery. Over the years, when other patients with Guillain Barre were admitted to the University of Virginia Hospital, he would visit to support them and demonstrate the possibility of physical and emotional recovery. In the early 70's, Walter and his family moved into a home in Ivy that was designed by prominent architect and family friend James Tuley. Nilgiri Hill, Walter's name for this house and its bucolic setting, was a cherished and welcoming sanctuary. Walter was an active professor and writer at the University of Virginia from 1960 until 1995. His undergraduate and graduate students were his most important professional commitment. Visiting academicians and students became members of his family, visiting Nilgiri Hill for social gatherings and Indian meals each week. In 1990, Rosemary was diagnosed with breast cancer with which she lived bravely for eleven years, never letting it interfere with her jobs as helpmate, mother, and supreme hostess. She eventually died peacefully in Hospice in January 2001. In April of 2002, Walter married his beautiful and talented second wife, medical illustrator Florence Jacobs. Florence and her children, Darryl, Karen, Tara and Omar had been family friends so their marriage was a joining of friends and families. Walter and Florence found tremendous love and solace in one another and have had many adventuresliving in Amsterdam, and travelling to the Galapagos Islands, Machu Pichu, Costa Rica, Europe, and of course, multiple times to India. During these years, Walter completed several career-defining books on Indian politics and peasant movements. In the final years of his life, Walter and his family compiled the Walter Hauser India Collection, Peasant Movement Papers that were gifted to the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia. Walter appreciated the wonderful variety and adventure of his life, his family and friends, his colleagues, his students, and India. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Hospice of the Piedmont would be welcome. A Celebration of the Life of Walter Hauser is planned near the end of June, with details to follow on the Anderson Funeral Home website.