Charles 'Chuck' Joseph Hottle

Much loved and respected veteran Naval aviator, coach, counselor, mentor, husband and father Charles J. "Chuck" Hottle, 75, died Oct. 28, 2011 at Kansas City's St. Luke's Hospital after a nearly 30-year battle with heart disease. Chuck was one of St. Lukes' longest surviving heart transplant recipients, having received his new heart in 1992.
Chuck was born June 29, 1936 in Martin City, MO, to T.W. "Bus" Hottle and Nancy Maud (Woolery) Hottle. He graduated from Center High School in 1954 and later attended Moberly Junior College in Moberly, MO, and Cowley County Junior College in Arkansas City, KS, playing basketball in both colleges. On Nov. 17, 1957, he married Janet Kay Hudson of Arkansas City, KS. In 1960, he graduated from then Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, MO, lettering as a Mule in football. Immediately after college, Chuck joined the U.S. Navy and was commissioned as a Naval officer and Naval aviator after completion of flight training in Pensacola, Florida. His first duty station was Naval Air Station (NAS) Quonset Point, R.I., where he flew the Grumman S-2F Tracker, or "Stoof," a reconnaissance aircraft, from the decks of the USS Essex. He earned the distinction of having set a U.S. Navy flight endurance record in the S-2F for 12 hours aloft. As a plane commander, Chuck received numerous commendations for his superior performance in flight missions including operations during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. He was also a flight instructor at the Naval Training Command at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, and had tours in Washington, D.C. and NAS Subic Bay, Philippines.
Chuck left military service in 1971 to pursue his second career as an educator. He attended New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M., where he received three Master's Degrees in education, and Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS, where he received his education doctorate. For the next 20 years he served as a counselor, coach of several different sports, athletic director, vice principal and principal at various schools including Jemez Valley High School, Jemez, N.M., (1973-1974) Pagosa Springs, High School, Pagosa Springs, Colo., (1974-1975), Cedar Vale High School, Cedar Vale, KS, (1975-1978), Ruppenthal Middle School, Russell, KS, (1978-1980), Piper High School, Piper, KS, (1980-1985), Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City, KS, (1985-1986) and Stanton County High School, Johnson, KS, (1986-1991). He retired due to heart health problems in 1991.
Chuck was preceded in death by his parents and numerous aunts and uncles. He is survived by his wife of nearly 54 years, Janet, of the home, his three sons, Douglas and wife Autumn of Vienna, Va., Derek and wife Ann of Lenexa, KS, Daniel and wife Amanda Zachow-Stover of Yellowstone National Park, WY, and daughter Nancy and husband Terry Revell of Winfield, KS. He leaves six grandchildren, Jennifer (Hottle) and Jason Smith of Tillamook, OR, Tara (Revell) and husband Taylor Duncan of Winfield, KS, Tanner Hottle of Lenexa, KS, Savannah Hottle of Zionsville, IN, Sadie Revell of Winfield, KS, and Calder Hottle of Yellowstone National Park, WY, and five great-grandchildren, Devin, Riley and Jade Cloyd of Tillamook, OR, Ella Jane and Grady Duncan of Winfield, KS, and two step great grandchildren, Adella and Ashton Smith of Tillamook, OR. He is also survived by his brother Vern and wife Cheryl, and sister Carole and husband Larry Jacobs, both of Lee's Summit, MO, along with numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and a host of friends around the world.
Chuck was an FAA licensed pilot and a proud member of the R.A.F.S. or "Real Aviators Flew Stoofs" organization as well as a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Rotary Club, National Association of Secondary School Principals, Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals, Kansas Association of Middle Level Education and Kansas Association of Athletic/Activity Directors. A priority in his life was sports, of which he was a pretty darned good golfer and avid (rabid?) fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas University Jayhawks. He could often be found coaching both teams at the top of his lungs on game days from the comfort of his living room armchair, much to the chagrin of the rest of his family!
Chuck's biggest passion in life was his family, his grand and great grandchildren, and plotting his next adventure deep within the Rand McNally Atlas. Among his numerous travels of the world, he loved walking and restaurant-hopping for the best seafood he could find on the beaches of South Padre Island, Texas, with his wife and various little dogs throughout the years, the shoreline of the Maritime Provinces, the Ozarks of Missouri, and just about any other interesting place that could only be found off the well-worn path. Among the Hottle family he was a force of love, laughter, guidance and education, and among his friends he was admired, respected and emulated. We will miss his mischievousness, his silly jokes and his daring rum goodies that could put you right in front of a Padre sunset with one sip. Most of all we will miss his smile and his heart, our patriarch, our Papa.
A memorial service to celebrate Chuck's life will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011 at the Hope United Methodist Church in Lone Jack, MO. Family will receive friends from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church. All who knew Chuck are welcome to attend and bring along their best stories. For those who can't, donations are being accepted in the form a memorial fund to the St. Luke's Hospital Foundation, Attention: Heart Transplant Fund, 4225 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City, MO, 64111. More information at http://www.saintlukesgiving.org/ We want to extend our deepest thanks over the years to all the St. Luke's Heart Institute doctors, nurses and support staff who gave us a second chance with our Papa more times than we could have ever imagined over the years. And above all, support organ donation so one day someone else in need may receive the gift of memories like our family has.