Charles M. Heuchert, my colleague and pal, was born on 30 August 1933, so this seems like a fine day to remember him. I posted an article about him 30 August 2024, “Charles M. Heuchert, 1933-2011,” Some readers are too young to remember him, not just because he passed away in 2011, but also because he retired from the University of Virginia faculty in 1998.
Those who had the privilege of knowing Chuck, however, can tell some wonderful stories. Chuck did a lot on the professional stage—teaching, service, and all that—but what most of us remember was his pretty much unfailing good will toward his fellow humans. He was kind, friendly, and considerate.
And he was witty. He could discount mistakes, whether they were some colleagues or his own, with a hearty laugh and point out that they were probably just a minor moment in the bigger scheme or things. He knew how to play the clown, walking around with a spoon hanging off his nose, only attached by the moisture he’d exhaled onto its bowl.
Despite all his academic work, Chuck found time to help with his community outside of his professorial duties. He volunteered with Camp Holiday Trails, rode with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad, and stayed actively involved in his church. Chuck was also an ardent supporter of UVA sports, regularly attending events and willing to discuss the laters about the student athletes and their wins and losses. Although he spent plenty of time in Topsail (NC), he retired, both literally and figuratively, to his home just over Afton Mountain, deep in the woods.
I remember Chuck in those “early” days. He was a winner. Happy birthday Chuck.