Charles ‘Chick’ Eissler died Wednesday evening, June 8th, at my sister’s house in San Diego. Dad was 98 years, 9 months. Born in 1923, he grew up in Evansville, Indiana with 2 older brothers and a younger sister. When he was called to serve in the military for WWII, he went US Navy. He was sent to Great Lakes on the shore of Lake Michigan in Illinois for boot camp. There, he was introduced to Betty, a young lady who was with her parents that day, visiting her brother’s good friend who just happened to be my Dad’s buddy at boot camp!

Dad was sent to Pearl Harbor after boot camp and rose in the ranks to Mineman, First Class. He wrote to Betty often and she wrote back. They married Nov 24, 1945. When he was discharged, Betty told him to go to college on the GI Bill. He took a degree in Physics from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. They lived with Mom’s parents in the city. Chick earned his degree and with it got a job at Motorola in Chicago working as an electrical engineer in the Radio group.

Eventually Dad and Mom moved to Lombard, IL. They had me and my 2 sisters. In the early 1960’s, Dad took Mom and us kids to Merced, CA to meet his father Elmer for the first time. Grandpa was dying of colon cancer, but we didn’t know that or care. We sat in his lap in the hospital and let him hug us.

Betty’s parents had moved out to Lombard and we lived 6 blocks from them. Chick was very close to his in-laws. He was a very handy guy, electrical wiring, plumbing, painting, wall papering, it seemed he could do it all. He cared for our house and for Grandma and Grandpa’s, too.

Mom and Dad sent us all to college. I went into manufacturing engineering in the automobile industry. My middle sister went U of I and studied physics. Then grad school in California for a PhD in Geophysics. Our younger sister studied business and owns and operates several small businesses with her husband.

Chick was a fabulous grandfather. He spoiled the daylights out of my kids. He has six adult grandchildren. An auto technician, a senior research scientist, a property manager, a trucking owner/operator, an RN and a sworn police officer.

Chick did it right. He loved his parents, served his country, loved his wife and kids, he raised us right and loved God. He got 98 years. He always said he was lucky, but I think God smiled on Dad, and through Dad on us, too.

I love you, Dad. Thanks for everything. I’ll miss you. Give my love to Mom. We’ll take it from here. Rest in peace.
Mark

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mark in Michigan,

Sorry for your loss Mark. Sounds like you father was a great man who lived a great life.

Sending my deep condolences on your loss. They truly were the greatest generation.

I am here, because "they" were there.

My utmost respect and condolences.

They truly are the Greatest Generation. My condolences for your loss.

quote:

Originally posted by chbibc:
They truly are the Greatest Generation. My condolences for your loss.

Amen! My prayers for you and all that are experiencing loss.

Fair Winds and Following Seas, Sailor.
God Bless.

A great man. I am both sorry for your loss and profoundly grateful that men like him lived and served our country.

Sounds like he was a nice and accomplished man. I’m happy for you and your family for being so lucky. A lot aren’t.

Thanks for sharing. We are less without him. But his legacy will live on through his family. May he RIP.

Thank you for sharing the wonderful life story of this great man.

My sincerest condolences & I too would like to thank you for sharing your father's life story.

My condolences.

Mark,
I feel your pain. Lost my WWII navy vet stepdad last May 29th.
Prayers and condolences.

Godspeed Chick.

Mark, you have my condolences. I am very sorry we have lost such a great man.

God bless them all ...

Fair winds and following seas.

That’s a great Eulogy. Salud!

So sorry for your loss. He sounds like a great man.

I, too, earned my BS (mathematics) at Illinois Institute of Technology.

Condolences, what a great man, thanks for sharing.
Note: looks like a typo in your first line that shows 89 years old... you got it right later when you mention he got 98 years.