September 24, 2011 was the day chosen to celebrate Charles life.  It was a beautiful sunny day in Seattle. Tables were covered with cheery yellow & green cloths & flowers. Standing next to the table that held the Guest Book was a chair he had made from tree limbs, it was as if he was asking guests to sit and visit awhile! Many of his hobbies, and handiworks were on display along with a wonderful buffet. Many of his friends and family were in attendance. It was exactly as he wished…indeed a celebration of his life and love of family. Momentary tears were quickly wiped away while visiting with his Grandsons, nieces and nephews and beautiful baby & toddler Great-Granddaughters. 

 A highlight of the day was a video that ran continuously on a large screen television. His daughter, Lynn had captured and compiled highlights of his life, from his love of his hunting dogs, to pictures of all his Children, Grandchildren and Great Grand Children. Hosting the celebration was his wonderful wife, Barbara who accompanied him on each step of his fight against cancer. Relatives shared stories and special times spent with him. I’m sure everyone in attendance left with the comforting thought that his life was full of love and pride in family, energy well spent on hobbies, and an underlying sense of humor and loyalty to friends. As we left the celebration  hall there was a misty rain falling it was as if he was saying “Leave your tears here, I’ve had my time..now each of you must make the most of every day!"

            First let me clarify that Charles has always been Chuck to me, guess it was an effort to set him apart from Dad who shared the same name.

           My first encounter with Chuck was not my memory at all but one shared by my Mother and Sister many years later. The day they brought me home from the hospital, he ran to the neighbor and asked if they wanted to buy his crying, red headed sister. I forgave him for that!

          Our Dad had always wanted a boy, He had three girls from a prior marriage, then Ruth, our sister who is 4 years older then he. Thinking back, at Dad’s age of 58, Chuck never quite met his expectations of a "perfect son" so I spent many times sitting outside his bedroom door while he was being punished, he never cried but I did!

            I remember Dad and Chuck turned our basement into a Taxidermy workshop and squirrels in the neighborhood were their animals of choice. I don’t remember seeing a finished product but I do remember, my Mother saying “Never Again”!

            Then there was the time I got my arm caught in the old fashioned washing machine rollers and Chuck was there to hit the release and free my arm before it reached my shoulder.

            The time he and Dad put tires in the coal furnace so it would heat hotter…and it did, when the smoke cleared my Mom had to repaint the whole first floor of the home.

           And then of course the times he and a buddy would lift the lid off our well, where they knew they would find several “craw daddies” which were so ugly with pinchers that looked huge to me. Of course, that got me running and screaming which was a great delight to them. I forgave him for that!

           Dad died when I was 10, Chuck was 14 at the time and had a difficult time adjusting. He was very independent and needed to find himself, so in my memory this time was just the feeling of wanting him to come back home. I recall late one evening Mother and I came home to our house in Media, Pennsylvania, after a Wednesday night  prayer meeting.  The house was pitch  black so we switched on a small light. We had a wide stairway leading to the second floor that overlooked a bedroom hallway.  As I started up the stairs Mom whispered for me to come down right away that someone was in the bedroom. We ran to the neighbor for help. When the neighbor man arrived with his flashlight and a big wooden stick and went into the room, there was Chuck, sleeping in the bed!  We tiptoed out and later, asked him in the future to please leave a note on the door saying he was home and Mom gave him a key so he wouldn’t have to climb in a window again.

            For all of his mischief, there was always, always his belief that the truth should be told regardless of the consequences. This was made very clear to me, when I was 12 and he was visiting our apartment in Tacoma Park. Can’t remember what we were discussing but I called him a Liar..this was the big brother who had never raised his voice to me...quickly responded, “Don’t ever call me that or I’ll shove your head right through that window”... Believe me, I never used that word with him again and I quickly learned the importance of always being truthful! 

             He came and went for the next few years, joining first the Coast Guard and later the Army, 102nd Airborne.  Mom, Walt,sister Ruth and her daughter Vicki (less then a year old) spent some time at a North Carolina beach.  While not close to home he was always in touch via letters and telephone calls. It was during this time that Barbara, Lynn & Dianna came into his life. What a wonderful family!  Beautiful baby Cassie later joined the family making it complete.

            So many years have come and gone, memories have been dusted off and a few have been shared with you.  Chuck will always be my hero..he fought a good fight against a formidable enemy...and never gave up hope that he would conquer..sleep in peace, Bro! Love you much, gone but never forgotten!!