Mr Calvin Peter Auten

Cal Auten aka Pops aka Pop-Pop, family man, lover of old Westerns, the sneakiest in nibbling forbidden snacks and adding extra salt, a legendary educator, lover of all things sports and as smooth as they ever did come, died on Thursday, February 18, 2021.

Cal was born Nov. 9, 1928 to Albert and Beatrice Auten in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  Never believing in “step” mom, children or father titles, family was family and that was proven every day of his life. He is survived by his love of 40 years: his wife, Geri; his sons, Brian Auten (Raagani), Darryl Miner (Jamie) and Brad Tress (Prithi); his daughters, Pam Hansted (Mike) and Lisa Auten; 22 nieces and nephews, along with 11 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Cal is preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Beatrice Auten, his siblings James “Buddy” Auten, Albert “Al” Auten, Robert “Bobby” Auten, Sr., Helen Jackson, Anna Reynolds, Bertha Miles, and Gladys “Patsy” Crawley.

Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey Cal was a multi-sport athlete which would place him in the New Brunswick High School Hall of Fame in 1998 for all around athleticism. His fleet-footed abilities would garner him praise in football and track with his specialty being the triple-jump and low hurdles. Following high school, Cal continued in athletics at Winston-Salem University as a member of their Track, Football and Boxing teams. His passion led him to become the university’s sports editor for the yearbook. Cal was an honored member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the affiliated Sphinx Club and the NAACP…even finding time for Drama Club! His yearbook quote was, appropriately, “Help Others”.  Following graduation, he bravely served 2 years in the United States Army in the Korean War.

Cal found his true calling as an educator. It is a rare and wonderful thing to be recalled by students and staff long after retirement. Each generation of children, with their own set of societal challenges were met with the same man, with the same goal: Help others. From the tumultuous Civil rights years, gangs, racial tensions, it never mattered to him. His students needed him to convey honesty, knowledge and a voice that resonated.  Thousands of children, hundreds of stories of how he left an imprint on their lives always positively even if they were in trouble. “I remember Mr. Auten said…” “I remember Mr. Auten taught me…” “Everyday Mr. Auten would ask me….” The endless recollections of his smile, his thumbs up, his laugh. His kindness in how he instructed or treated his students and staff is what they remember. So many students will credit him for changing their paths from destruction to productive and healthy. “Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be” – Rita Pierson. Cal was a champion to his students in the Western Contra Costa School District and his influence is now in every part of the country as they take his care with them.

Name any sport, Cal knew something about it. His love of athletics never left him. He spent countless seasons as a fierce softball pitcher in the Richmond Adult Leagues, umpired games with his kids who have the drive and competitive spirit he did. Tailgating with Pops in the parking lot of Oakland Coliseum for the Raider games meant delicious BBQ and the excitement of watching him and his favorite team play. One of the original members of the Raider Nation, he witnessed first-hand, The Sea of Hands play. He held season tickets in the Black Hole before it was even called that and travelled to see the Raiders’ epic win at Super Bowl XV. His phone calls with his kids about how the team looked or how the game went was a regular Sunday event. The Raiders could have learned a thing or two had they listened to Pops a little more often.

There was no doubt what motivated Cal and that was his love for his family. It resonated in everything he did. For the last 40 years, you would rarely find Cal without Geri, his wife, by his side. That’s the way he wanted it and that’s the way it was. Geri was his lady. Including her in a full and adventurous life, the family travelled far and wide together. They danced, saw live music, won and lost in Tahoe, renewed their vows and took care of each other. The perfect pair. Vacations meant visits with family, from New Jersey to Canada and many cities in between. Food was his favorite way of showing you how much he loved you. “Come and get it before I throw it out!” is how you knew his delicious meal was waiting because you were not allowed to help in the kitchen when Pops was cooking. Any rift that may arise in the family, Pops forced you to work it out because “that’s what family does”, no matter how hard it is.

Cal’s voice will always ring in our ears as we resentfully move forward without him but will continue to carry on his desire to work it out and stay together because that is what family does. We will miss seeing that gleam in his eye, his softened face that was only reserved for his family. Do not even try to interrupt him if he was watching his daughter sing his favorite songs or when his kids were playing football and softball. Grandbabies could not wait to see Pop-Pop, he had the best hugs and the softest voice. He could spend hours having passionate discussions with them and did! He would intently watch and listen to his family talk and laugh, giving them advice, reassurance or celebrating good news in their lives, Cal was devoted to them. He strived to be the best example of what a father and husband should be. He spent his whole life trying to be a better man so that his children would see. Pops never held back “I love you’”, would wave you over to enjoy that special bond that only you had, and it was no lie, everyone will attest. His family will miss him. He showed true acceptance, honesty, love, and respect for everyone. And no one, can whistle like him.

The Family would like to encourage anyone wishing to make a donation in Cal's honor to please make donations to Parkinson’s Network of Mount Diablo at https://pnmd.net/donate/ or West Contra Costa Retired Educators Scholarship Fund at https://sites.google.com/site/wccresf/donate-now

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