Charles “Red” Berry Cauthen

Charles “Red” Berry Cauthen, age 79, passed away on December 13, 2025, leaving behind a
lifetime of stories, service, and well-earned wisdom.

Born in Pahokee, Florida, he was the son of Kenneth Parrish Cauthen and Thelma Alyce
Whatley, a military family that traveled the world including Morocco. Red eventually found his
forever home in Riverside, California, where he lived since 1970 and built a life grounded in
family, hard work, and adventure.

Red proudly served his country as a 23½ year veteran of the United States Navy and Naval
Reserves, retiring at the rank of ABF Senior Chief Petty Officer. During his distinguished Navy
career, he had the rare opportunity to support two Apollo missions, including Apollo 11, bringing
Neil Armstrong safely home. He also served multiple tours of duty in Vietnam and participated
in numerous overseas deployments—experiences that shaped his leadership, resilience, and
legendary storytelling.

After retiring from military service, Red continued his dedication to the public as a safety
consultant/engineer for Sunkist, Cal/OSHA, and the Metropolitan Water District.
Service didn’t stop there. Red received a Presidential Recognition for National and Local
Community Service after volunteering over 10,000 hours with the National Forest Service—a
testament to his love of the outdoors and his commitment to giving back.
Never one to sit still for long—unless it was outdoors watching the world go by—Red had a
wide range of passions. He enjoyed shooting, hunting, camping, ATV riding, truck driving across
the country, and, of course, pyrotechnics. As a professional pyrotechnician, Red helped light up
the skies at multiple Super Bowls, two Olympic Games, and films including Meet Joe Black,
along with many other venues. Few people can say their work made millions stop and look up in
awe—and Red was proud to be one of them.

Above all, Red was a family man. He shared 56 loving years of marriage with his wife Juanita
(Nita) Cauthen, his partner in life and adventure. He was a devoted father to Kristi Gagnier
(Michael) and Craig Cauthen (Tracy), and a proud grandfather to Reagan, Cameron, Emily,
Allison, and Ellie, each of whom brought him immense joy. He is also survived by his brother,
Richard.

Red will be remembered for his colorful humor, steady presence, love of the outdoors, and the
way he lived life on his own terms—sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly, but always fully. He
never met a stranger that didn’t like him. His legacy lives on in the stories told around campfires,
the hum of an engine heading down an open road, and fireworks lighting up the night sky.
He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

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