outdoorsman, husband, father, loving, giving
After graduating from Morton High School, Uncle Chuck attended and graduated from the University of Illinois in 1933 with a degree in mechanical engineering.
After working for International Harvester, marrying Rose Hessler (my mother's sister) and having three children; Doug, Kay and Sara Jane, he traveled to Seattle to determine if he would move his family to the area he had always envisioned living.
He had been drawn to the natural beauty and the abundant opportunities to hunt, fish and enjoy his love of the outdoors. After much consideration, and because of strong family ties in the Chicago area, he decided to remain in Chicago and began working at Chicago Blow Pipe Company, the business founded by his father in 1919.
He worked there from 1944, initially with his father, took over upon his father's retirement and welcomed his son into the business in the 1960's. He remained an integral part of the business until the end of 1993, just 3 months before his death at age 83.
At his funeral, my sister Janet spoke these words which have stayed with me: ".. .his church was the whole of the outdoors...".
As a child I lost my father. My Uncle Chuck took the time to introduce me to his church. At the time I thought it was solely about experiencing the outdoors. It was not until much later that I came to realize that his "church" was much more than the "walls".
He instilled in me a wonder for nature, an inquisitiveness for life and the desire to know and understand. And most importantly, he was a man of virtue.
It was this that has kept me drawn to the center of the road. Though, admittedly, I have strayed to the edge, something always drew me back. I now know his hand was there.
There is little I can do to repay such a gift. But what I can do is try to pass it on.
End of Trail Ministries, Inc. is my vehicle by which to do that.
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