| Graduation Year | Class of 1969 |
| Date of Passing | Apr 10, 1988 |
| About | I still remember November 1950, when I first saw my brother Chuck, Loved him then and Love him still Dad pulled Cathie and I on our tobaggon to the hospital, Mom held Chuck high in the window for us to see -- Oh Ghee – just a babe, but OH BOY! A brother! Charlevoix (from which Charlie boy got his name) and where he asked that his ashes be scattered, was always in his heart and now will always be. Loved him then and Love him still Such a quiet, cherubic child was he. Enjoyed sliding at the Belvedere and our hill too. Laddie, Chuck’s pet Collie, protected him well. Chuck would come crying into the house cause Laddie kept him from sliding down the hill by standing in front of the sled wherever Chuck moved it. If Chuck was playing near the road, there stood Laddie his guardian in the middle of it letting no cars go by. Loved him then and Love him still Cathie, Chuck and I rode our bikes, walked and skated on Lake Charlevoix, made forts in the woods, swam, sailed, canoed and every summer Dad’s Charlevoix Play Camp was our life. Ours was a childhood full of love, fun and joy. Loved him then and Love him still To say that Chuck loved to dance is simply insufficient. We all marveled when while in 1st and 2nd grade he was the star pupil in Rod Creede’s dance class – and Chuck’s love of music and dance never stopped -- when anyone ever asked me to describe Chuck, I always uttered “Best dancer I ever saw.” And as a student-teacher, his kids simply loved him, several even kept in touch by writing and calling over 10 years later. Loved him then and Love him still Chuck joined sister Cathie in San Diego, saw him little but missed him a lot, he blossomed in the California sun so that when he came to live with my family and I in D.C. , I swore he looked younger than when he left for California 5 years earlier. When Chuck came to live with Cathy, our kids and I, he grew very close to Dax, Ashelita (as he called her) and later became Lauren’s godfather. Chuck was very proud of his Finnish heritage which pride had been passed on to him by his Mumma & Pappa (grandma & grandpa). He often took my kids and I to Pikkujoulu and Juhannus which was celebrated by the DC Finnish community. Chuck also helped start the Suomi soccer team which still plays together on weekends. Loved him then and Love him still In 1981, I told Chuck that my officemate was looking for a roommates to to share a house – what close and good friends he and Steve became, traveling everywhere from Maine to Key West and points in between. Chuck was the kind of person that was always ready to help someone in need. I’ll never forget and be forever thankful that in 1982 when I was on a train heading west out of Montana and our family car broke down in Gettysburg, Chuck dropped everything and rescued my stranded family. He didn’t have a lot materially yet he was always giving to others. He was a fountain of generosity and goodness. In 1984, Chuck passed a sickly German Shepherd standing next to the highway. He couldn’t pass it a second time knowing it had been abandoned. Today, Lemminkainen is healthy and happy playing in Chuck’s backyard. Loved him then and Love him still Our family (mom, dad, Aunt Elma (who affectionately called him “loverboy” & Uncle Bob, Cathie, Chuck, Bob, Steve, Cathy, I and our kids spent this past Christmas together in Charlevoix. We could hardly keep up with Chuck as he was our “Kit Crson” while we trudged up and down in the snow --over the dunes at Mt. McSauba (Chuck’s favorite place in Charlevoix) and along Lake Michigan too. It was rich being together. Loved him then and Love him still This past January, the cold wind blustered in, Chuck started having problems seeing and was hospitalized. Chuck was always a spiritual person, he knew more about religion and had as strong a faith as I’ve ever known. While he was in the hospital, Steve and I took turns reading from Chuck’s bible and listened as Chuck discussed religion with the many ministers who visited him. When Chuck was allowed to go home, Steve promised him he would never have to leave and true to his word, Steve with the help of dad, Cathie, Curtis, Sissy, Ruth, Lisa, Joanne, Sherry, Scott, Michele, Charlie, Cathy and I (along with the Calcote clan that long ago had taken him into their hearts) cared for Chuck so tht he always knew someone who loved him was standing near -- Loved him then and Love him still He left us with that same gentleness, grace and goodness that he had always shared with others. Rare if any is the less than loving memory that anyone holds of this good man, I was privileged to call my brother. chip terrill April 11, 1988 |
