Charles Roney Backus

 

 

    Charles Backus, age 79, a resident of Spring, Texas, passed away peacefully on September 11, 2026, at a nursing facility in Hallettsville, Texas. He was born on January 15, 1947, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Paul Gladden Backus and Margaret Roney Backus. 

 

    Music was an integral part of Charles's early life; he played the trumpet in his high school band in Lafayette, Louisiana, continued playing in the college band at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and performed with the Louis Major Orchestra. He remained fondly remembered by his lifelong fellow trumpet players, Tom Cormier and Ralph Stiveson.

 

    Charles was a brilliant scholar and a distinguished leader in the field of university press publishing. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Foreign Languages from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1970. He then pursued graduate studies at Princeton University, earning his master’s degree in 1974 and his doctorate in Chinese History in 1977.

 

    As part of his academic journey, he spent two years studying in Taiwan at the Inter-University Center for Chinese Language Studies and Academia Sinica, nine months in Japan at Kyoto University, completed a residency in England at Cambridge University for a term, and led a two-month Yale-China Association tour to China.

 

     A dedicated academic, he began his career as an Assistant Professor of East Asian Studies at Bowdoin College from 1977 to 1978 and authored the scholarly book, The Nan-chao Kingdom and T'ang China's Southwestern Frontier, published by Cambridge University Press in 1981.

 

    Charles transitioned his talents into university administration and publishing, serving as the Director of Corporate Relations at Tulane University (1978–1980”) and Associate Director of Major Gifts at Yale University (1980–1983). He found his true professional calling in academic editing and publishing, first as an Acquisitions Editor for the University Press of New England (1983–1988), and later directing several major academic institutions. He served as Director of the Syracuse University Press (1988–1992) and Director of the Vanderbilt University Press (1993–1999). He concluded his illustrious career as Director of the Texas A&M University Press, a position he held from 1999 until his retirement in 2015. Notably, from 2011 to 2015, his leadership was honored with the endowed position and title of Edward R. Campbell Press Director

 

    Charles shared a vibrant life with his beloved wife of 39 years, Anne. He was a wonderful host who truly enjoyed getting together with friends; he and Anne loved to entertain, hosting annual holiday parties and impromptu gatherings wherever they resided. Because of his warmth, Charles is fondly remembered by friends in all the places they called home over the years, including New England; Syracuse, New York; Nashville, Tennessee; and in Texas: College Station, Taylor Lake Village, and Spring.

 

    Together, Charles and Anne were avid birders who embarked on many birding trips. Charles was also an exceptionally skilled pool player, and a central prerequisite for any home they purchased was that it must accommodate a billiard table. Over the years, their homes hosted countless memorable matches, including regular, bi-weekly games with his close friend Richard Cunningham through November of 2025. 

 

    Above all, Charles had a profound love for animals. He cherished their dogs—Targa, Lacy, Holly, Sophie, Maggie Mae, Cody, and Jack—and alongside Anne, was deeply involved in dog rescue, opening their hearts and home to foster many Golden Retrievers.

 

    Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Margaret Backus. He leaves behind his devoted wife, Anne Backus; his loving sister, Judy Jackson; his nephew, Ryan Jackson (and wife, Angela); and his niece, Reagan Savoy (and husband, Hill). He is also survived by his beloved grandnieces and grandnephews: Hadley and Hayes Jackson; and Mary Hill, Jackson, Colden, and Pierce Savoy. He will also be missed by his extended family, including two close cousins, as well as a vast community of friends, colleagues, fellow musicians, and loved ones across the country who will miss his intellect, warmth, and companionship.

 

    The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to the remarkable nurses and staff at the Hallettsville Nursing and Rehabilitation memory unit, and to the staff of Hospice of South Texas, for their dedicated comfort care and compassion for Charles.

 

    In accordance with his wishes, no formal memorial services will be held. For those who desire to honor Charles’s memory and his deep love for animals, the family requests that remembrance donations be made to Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue at GBGRR.org.