Chuck Vawter passed away peacefully June 12, after a brief illness, with his family near him.

Charles Dalton Vawter was born May 9, 1929, in Grand Junction, Colo., into a degree of poverty that he spent his adulthood happy and proud none of his descendants ever experienced. The ninth of 10 children, he was spared many indignities thanks to the protection of his older siblings. Together, those childhood privations instilled in him a profound sympathy for the underdogs and neglected in whichever community he later resided in, and he will be remembered by many as a great friend and advocate.

His twin loves of athletics and working with children blended with distinction over his career as a much-loved coach, teacher, administrator, and a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America. He spent the longest stretch of his career at Burns High School, where he started as vice principal in 1973, and later was promoted to principal/superintendent. He was president of Oregon Schools Activities Association during the 1984-1985 school year. Long after his relocation to Crooked River Ranch, he continued to look back fondly at his time with his friends in Eastern Oregon.

After retirement in 1988, Chuck continued his work with vulnerable children with the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program of Central Oregon. With this organization, he helped abused and neglected children navigate the family court system. He spoke freely of his time with CASA, and those closest to him know that he considered this work amongst his most important.

Chuck’s final act of altruism was fulfilling his promise to donate his body to the medical school at Oregon Health & Science University. He felt that if young doctors-in-training could learn from him then he might be able to help someone else, long after he was gone. This act epitomizes the world view of the man we will miss: Do what you can, where you are, with what you have to make life better for others — even if you will never meet them.

Chuck is survived by the love of his life and wife of 44 years, JoAnne; his little sister, Eleanor Spink; six children and step-children, Christine McAllister, Paula Vawter, Jennifer Wheeler, Vance Lawrence, Traci Lawrence Tandy, and Terry (Ed) Lawrence; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and far too many dear friends to count.

In lieu of a service, a memorial golf tournament will be held at Crooked River Ranch Golf Course on Saturday, Aug. 18. Proceeds will benefit the golf teams at Burns High School. Further details will be available soon on Facebook. Let’s all come together to celebrate a great man.