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From Bruce Dzeda:
Chuck's name seems never to appear on rosters of our classmates, probably because he died during our junior year at Heights and therefore never received a diploma. Chuck was a fellow member of the Concert and Marching Bands, playing French Horn before he was persuaded by Mr. Mackey to play baritone, instead, a decision I'm sure Mackey regretted, as he often said out loud that the baritone section of the band was the bane of his life. It was fun to be near Chuck because he had a great sense of humor and was full of life and high spirits. Alas, one Spring weekend in 1965 he fell to his death from a cliff during a Scouting expedition. As classmate Jeff Weinberger commented to me later, "When I saw Chuck's picture on the first page of the Sunday Plain Dealer I knew it wasn't because he'd won a scholarship." Chuck would have loved that! We were excused from classes to attend his funeral in the little Presbyterian Church on Lee Road at Washington Blvd. Afterwards, Mr. Mackey had the Concert Band rehearse and perform the Largo (often called "Going Home") from Antonin Dvorak's "New World Symphony" in Chuck's memory at a concert or two; quite an honor for a mere baritone. For fifty years I have always thought of Chuck when I hear this famous and moving piece of music. Chuck never aged; to think of him today is to see him in the prime of his youth...and then to smile.
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Kathy Miller (Morley)
I want to add that I have often thought of Chuck through the years. He did have such a good spirit and sense of humor. His unthinkable passing our junior year was my first experience with a contemporary passing. I felt surely that his warm and good humored essence surely was stronger and more resilient than the physical functioning of his body. It was the beginning of my feelings about the eternal nature of the soul. Heavy but true. I will never forget him and can still see him kidding me as I walk down the Heights hallway towards the cadet room.
Robert Wagner
Bruce: Nice tribute! I had completely forgotten about Chuck, perhaps for the reasons you stated. Seems to me he was in Dr. Hutchings 10th grade biology class with me. But, I could be mistaken.
James Quigley
I only just today logged in to this forum. What a discovery. I plan to attend the 50th reunion of the class of '66 (it will be my first time at a reunion). When I looked at the list of classmates who have since perished I was saddened to see so many names. I was acquainted with too many. Chuck's name stood out because he and I were acquainted by the fate of the spelling of our names. Gym, algebra, English, you name it. If we were in the same class we were usually seated adjacent to each other by alphabetical order. I was shocked when I heard the account of his death... details I will leave out of this sad and tragic story. What I remember was an energetic, outgoing, bright and courteous friend. I attended that funeral service. Felt so badly for his family. Chuck should have grown to adulthood, fell in love, became a dad and then a grandfather. Lucky the rest of us that we are still here. Life is unfair. Those of us who are still here after all these years owe it to those who are not to count our blessings and keep their good memories alive.