Submitted by: Dan Rich

South Bend Tribune 5/22/2002

Br. Charles J. Beutter, CSC

May 21, 1921 - May 20, 2002

Br. Charles Joseph Beutter, C.S.C., 80, died after a long illness on Monday, May 20, in Dujarie House, Notre Dame, Ind.

He was born on May 21, 1921, in South Bend, Ind., the son of Louis and Catherine (Wartha) Beutter. He is survived by two nieces in California, and by several cousins in the South Bend area.

He attended St. Matthew's Grade School and Central Catholic High School in South Bend, and joined the Holy Cross Brothers in August 1939, taking the name Br. Benignus, and making his first profession of vows on Sept. 13, 1940. He attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1943. A year later he pronounced his perpetual vows. He earned a master's degree from Notre Dame in 1946.

Returning to the use of his legal name in the 1960s, Br. Charles' assignments over the period of his active career of 50 years were entirely within the field of education. Much of his apostolic work was in institutions of the South-West province of brothers, of which he was a member. He found himself on the faculty, administration and staff as teacher, counselor or vice-principal at Vincentian Institute, Albany, N.Y., St. Edward's University, Austin, Texas, Holy Trinity High School, Chicago, Ill., Gilmour Academy, Gates Mills, Ohio, Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, Calif., St. Francis High School, Mt. View, Calif., and Cardinal Muench Seminary, Fargo, N.D. The greater portion of his career was spent at Notre Dame H.S. and St. Francis H.S. He retired in 1998 from St. Francis and took up residence at the brothers' St. Joseph Hall in Austin. That same year health considerations prompted a move to the South-West Province's Vincent Pieau Residence in Austin, then in 2000 to Dujarie House, Notre Dame.

A very tall, athletically built man, his presence was imposing, but the respect it commanded in itself was universally reaffirmed in the recognition of his skills as a true educator by students, parents and colleagues alike.

Visitation will begin at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, in St. Joseph's Chapel, the brothers' Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame, 54515 State Road 933. A Mass of the Resurrection will follow at 3:30 p.m., with burial immediately afterward at St. Joseph's Cemetery on the village grounds.

The Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling arrangements.