[Editor’s Note: Charley Hoult, one of the most brilliant and most prominent of Culver City residents, died Wednesday. His widow, Dr. Janet Hoult, Culver City’s honorary poetess laureate, traces his closing steps.]
Charley was diagnosed with AML –Acute Myeloid Leukemia — less than one month ago. He received platelets for his white blood cells and transfusions to increase his HGB as well as a week of chemotherapy.
Last Thursday, his temperature reached 103.5, and he was admitted to the hospital. They couldn’t get him stabilized in the hospital, so I arranged for hospice care and brought him home Tuesday.
Wednesday morning I woke up shortly before 5 o’clock. I put my hand on his heart. I could tell he was still breathing.
When I took it away, he passed away.
The caregivers said that they had seen this before when the loved one waits to say goodbye….
David Voncannon stopped by yesterday. He said he informed City Council members, so they will adjourn in Charley’s memory.
David said he will say a few words and I suggested he look at Charley’s web site www.RSandT.com (Rocket Science and Technology) for a bio.
If my muse doesn’t desert me, I will have a poem for Jeremy Green to read.
I doubt that I will be able to keep my emotions under control on Monday so it is better for friends to do the honors for Charley and for me.
Some of his CSULB students were here before the mortuary came to pick up his body.
We dressed him in an Experimental Sounding Rocket Association shirt with a cap from Orbital ATK.
Pastor Jim Maines from Grace Lutheran Church came over to pray with us yesterday. He remarked that heaven will now have a rocket expert to call on.
He looks like he is at peace, just taking a nap before engaging his mind in an engineering problem, doesn’t he?
Dr. Hoult may be contacted at HOULtight@aol.com
Who publishes a picture of their beloved when they are deceased, and, when they have access to a nice picture they could have used?
How uncouth and disrespectful to do that to someone who was a dignified person.
During this tough time Charley’s family are grieving their loss. I have known the Hoult family for sometime, and they have nothing but love, respect, and kindness. If you feel the urge to share your opinion about a personal choice they made. Then please do so without judgment and condescension. It’s best if you write something kind to condole his grieving family.
My you rest in peace Charley, you were a great mentor.
Correction: May you rest in peace Charley, you were a great mentor.
I know Charley would have pointed that out
Yes, we are part of his immediate family members. Yes, we are entitled Yes, we are grieving. Yes, he was brilliant and helped a lot of people. Yes, we find what was done to him posthumously very offensive. Therefore, we are entitled to speak up about our beloved in his defense. What was done to him was not respectful to him and very offensive!
I think Janet knew Charley best – as Charley says on his own website, he and Janet were soulmates, they loved each other deeply and shared their lives. I think the posted photo was not offensive at all, but a tribute to the Charley we all knew and loved, dressed in his favorite outfit. Both Charley and Janet have been mentors and friends to students, staff and faculty alike in the College of Engineering at California State University, Long Beach. Charley’s love of all things space was amazing – his face lit up and his eyes would twinkle talking about his favorite subject, and he was always quick to crack jokes. Our ESRA students were fortunate to have such wonderful loving and caring mentors in both Charley and Janet, and the rest of us are fortunate to have such inspiring role models in how to enjoy our “second lives”, keep active and involved and make live meaningful and fun. I always thought while watching the two of them together, “I wish I could have so much joy in my life”. Charley, you hold a special place in the MAE Department at CSULB and we will miss you, but think of you often and fondly.
Leanne Hayes