Charles Thomas McEwen

Message from Heather:
I remember Chuck trying to get the kids to take a picture with him at Christmas. They weren't really having it but I know he really loved his grandchildren!

 

Note from Kathy:

YES He did. Very much. Thank you for adding the pictures to the gallery.

...But most important we still have our memories. You were the kind of neighbors that everyone hopes for.  I guess it is a good time for true confessions (hopefully to make you laugh and not call the police). We frequently (Chris wanted me to add that this was before he moved in) would sneak out at night and reach over the wall to take a few oranges off the tree that hung over into our back yard (I am not sure why we didn’t just come over with a bag). Anyway, when Adam was a teenager, on one such adventure, he happened to get a quick glimpse of you guys in the back yard in a compromising situation (if you know what I mean). That was the LAST time he ever picked those oranges!!! One other memory we will always have is when we walked by the house one day and water was rushing out of the garage.  Chris turned off the water main (Big Flood that day).**

 

**A note from Kathy...That "Big Flood" was a broken water pipe that led from the first floor up to the second floor of the house.  Chuck and I had been in Cancun for ten days. It ended up destroying a big portion of the entire downstairs of our home. $50,000 later it was good as new. 

I am NOT going to describe the compromising situation; I wouldn't be able to remember exactly which one of the "situations" it was anyway. ;)

From: Rich Heinisch, Univ. of Dubuque Friend and Frat Brother.

 

The first time I met Chuck was 1966, at the Univ. of Dubuque. I had just transferred from the Univ. of Illinois, and Chuck welcomed me with open arms. Soon, Chuck's friends were my friends. From 1966 to 1969 our "college family" (of 12) became a tight-knit group. Chuck, in his mischevious-twinkled-eyed-way, was always there to join in our adventures. From Chuck's old Ford station wagon, we "mooned" the carhops at A + W. We made Dubuque (and a 50 mile radius around Dubuque) our "extended college campus". The U of D "Gang" managed to sing & picnic their way through every scenic park Dubuque had to offer. On my 21st birthday Chuck (and several of the guys) kidnapped me, took me to a cottage on a lake, and forced me into a weekend of unspeakable shame & pleasures. Many late nights were spent "studying" in the East Dubuque bars. Our group loudly supported U of D's sports teams. And, because of Chuck's "special brand of cheering", quite a few opposing coachs (and team players) left U of D's sporting events with a red face, high blood pressure, and a bad taste for U of D's "special" athletic supporters.  We pretty much fished out the local trout streams. Our group supported each other, and Chuck was a main support beam. If you needed a ride, Chuck was there. If you were down, Chuck was there to cheer you up (or make you forget why you were down). If you were going somewhere, or wanted to do something, Chuck was always "on board"! When the local Dubuque police were not busy chasing Chuck from John Deere's private farms, they were busy trying to figure out what happened to the missing barber pole (that Chuck and his roommate removed from Dubuque's other college campus). Chuck loved music. I still have the Mama's and the Papa's first LP. (In a random act of kindness, Chuck gave me that album the first month I attended U of D). Chuck was vocal, expressive, sometimes obnoxious, little-boy mischeivious, forgiving (God knows, we teased him enough!), genuine, and concerned for others. He has a bright smile, and wasn't afraid to live life. 8 years ago, in Las Vegas, Chuck and Kathy attended a U of D college reunion. Although we had an extremely busy agenda, it was plain to see how "head-over-heals" Chuck and Kathy were. If I had only known then, I would have made time to get to know Kathy better. Because of Kathy, the U of D gang felt that Chuck's luck had turned for the better. Of course, my last memory of Chuck is him trying to give me a "wedgie" right in the middle of the Tropicana Casino! For myself, and for the U of D "Gang", our Brother is missing! Chuck is a huge part of who we were, and who we are. (Most likely, Chuck is up there right now dealing euchure hands to Harlan and Les.) This October, at U of D's Homecoming, the rest of us will "lift a few" to Chuck! He will not be forgotten...

 

                                       With a heavy heart, and warm memories, 

 

                                               Friends forever!!!       Rich Heinisch     

Hello, It may seem odd that I am posting a memory, and family members have not, the only one who has posted a memory has been Chuck's wife, but I thought Kathy would appreciate having me post my memories of her husband so she could she what I saw of him through my eyes. Especially, the love they shared. I remember having dinner parties with the Mc Ewen's and all the effort they would both put into making the evening perfect. The boat would be docked and "stocked" with plenty of spirits and beautiful food. As a matter of fact, beauty was something Chuck enjoyed very much and the life Kathy and Chuck shared was filled with beauty-beauty in their love and in their surroundings. They had the kind of love that makes you want to have it for yourself-that special union that just is undeniably unique and unquestionably passionate. You could see it when Chuck would look at Kathy. I hope she knows that others that spent time with them could see it too. I will always remember him rowing Kathy and I around the little pond in their backyard in their rowboat. We had a bottle of wine and could hear the frogs and the crickets and it was that special time of night when twilight is just starting to fall. It will be my fondest memory of him. Chuck was a kind man who was a generous host, an interesting person, and fun man who will be missed. I am very sorry for his family's loss.

There are so many memories we shared I don't even know where to begin. The personal memories that belonged to just the two of us, the trips, the plans...From the first time I ever saw you at the Orange Tree in Scottsdale.  There had been so much hype about meeting you that all I could say when you introduced yourself was "Oh, so you are the GOD I was supposed to meet.".  Well, I thought I had really put my foot in my mouth but somehow you found that endearing and the next thing I knew, you had fallen in love with me.  I will never regret that day or all the days, weeks, months and years that followed.  We had a lot of fun, our share of tears, our ups and downs like all couples but through it all, there was something wonderful and magical about the two of us.  Together we discovered and shared parts of who we were that we had never expressed before.  I wanted to be everything to you...every dream...every desire...I wanted to thrill you beyond expectation and lead you down paths you would never have gone without me.  I think we did a lot of that.  I promised that our love would never get complacent and I think I kept that promise. We could spend the whole evening just talking about "stuff", many nights I just listened to your stories, you certainly liked to tell them.  You were the only person I could ever spend two hours just kissing...or touching their hand.  You left so soon, so much sooner than I ever expected.  There was so much left to do and say.  Where are the twin rocking chairs you promised we would spend our old age in?  You thought we would end up with matching walkers...with motors on them, remember?  I am sorry that we never got around to achieving all those dreams and goals.  I am sure the adventure would have only gotten better.  You loved me like no other, unconditionally and completely.  I thank you so much for that.  And as I said to you on our wedding day...you gave me happy feet.  I will miss you forever, my life will never be the same...wait for me, I will meet up with you again when I return to my spirit self as you have already done. Then we will finish what we started...for all eternity.  I am sure you will have some great stories by then. I love you honey.