Charles (Chuck, Charlie) Sylvester German, 84, of Rochester, died peacefully Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Golden Living Center East after a long struggle with Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia.
Chuck was born in White Rock, S.D., July 9, 1930, the eighth of 11 children to Edward and Catherine (Brockhaus) German. The family later moved to Hankinson, N.D., where he grew up working and playing hard on the family farm and walking, uphill both ways, to school every day in a blizzard ("when there wasn't a blizzard, I just didn't go to school," wink). He graduated from St. Francis Academy in Hankinson, the first in his family to finish high school. He would have followed his six older brothers into the military, but his father insisted he and his younger brother were needed more by staying behind to help run the farm. Having missed that opportunity to see the world left Chuck with a lifelong passion to travel and learn about new people and places whenever he could.
Chuck met the love and rock of his life, Donna Marie Latterell, by asking her for a dance at The Prom ballroom in St. Paul. They were married in St. Paul on Nov. 20, 1954. They have nine children, Peggy (Phil) Edwards of Rochester, Rick (Pam Hanenberger) of Rochester, Cathy (Rick) Beckley of Grass Valley, Calif., Bob (Roxanne Luck) of Corona, Calif., Don (Nancy Duchene) of Rochester, John (Virgie Tobias) of Owatonna, Lisa (Don) Schuchard of Millville, Dennis of Rochester and Amy (Kurt) Rabe of Plainview, 23 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren, with two more due soon.
Early jobs included working in the stockyards and on the railroad in St. Paul. While raising his young family, he completed correspondence courses to become an insurance adjuster. He continued in that profession until retirement, primarily in southeastern Minnesota, which brought the family to the Rochester area. He eventually went to work for FEMA, with Donna as his assistant, giving them the chance to travel via work.
Chuck was a warm-hearted and gentle man who had a genuine interest in everybody and everything. He loved to argue any topic just for the sake of the discussion, a trait he passed to the rest of his family. Favorite memories of his children include the debates at the dinner table which inevitably lead to "Well, let's just look that up in the encyclopedia!". He always loved an adventure, as evidenced by participating in the annual family canoe party well past the age most would give it up, skydiving at age 72 with a daughter, and getting his first tattoo at age 83 from a grandson. He took great pride in the experiences and accomplishments of his entire large, extended family; especially his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We are relieved that you can finally rest without pain, Big GG, but already miss you more than we can say.
He was preceded in death by his parents; six of his seven brothers; and several nieces and nephews.
Chuck has donated his body to education and research at Mayo Clinic.
Private family services will be held at a later date.
Obituary & photo published by The Post-Bulletin on May 19, 2015
Chuck was born in White Rock, S.D., July 9, 1930, the eighth of 11 children to Edward and Catherine (Brockhaus) German. The family later moved to Hankinson, N.D., where he grew up working and playing hard on the family farm and walking, uphill both ways, to school every day in a blizzard ("when there wasn't a blizzard, I just didn't go to school," wink). He graduated from St. Francis Academy in Hankinson, the first in his family to finish high school. He would have followed his six older brothers into the military, but his father insisted he and his younger brother were needed more by staying behind to help run the farm. Having missed that opportunity to see the world left Chuck with a lifelong passion to travel and learn about new people and places whenever he could.
Chuck met the love and rock of his life, Donna Marie Latterell, by asking her for a dance at The Prom ballroom in St. Paul. They were married in St. Paul on Nov. 20, 1954. They have nine children, Peggy (Phil) Edwards of Rochester, Rick (Pam Hanenberger) of Rochester, Cathy (Rick) Beckley of Grass Valley, Calif., Bob (Roxanne Luck) of Corona, Calif., Don (Nancy Duchene) of Rochester, John (Virgie Tobias) of Owatonna, Lisa (Don) Schuchard of Millville, Dennis of Rochester and Amy (Kurt) Rabe of Plainview, 23 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren, with two more due soon.
Early jobs included working in the stockyards and on the railroad in St. Paul. While raising his young family, he completed correspondence courses to become an insurance adjuster. He continued in that profession until retirement, primarily in southeastern Minnesota, which brought the family to the Rochester area. He eventually went to work for FEMA, with Donna as his assistant, giving them the chance to travel via work.
Chuck was a warm-hearted and gentle man who had a genuine interest in everybody and everything. He loved to argue any topic just for the sake of the discussion, a trait he passed to the rest of his family. Favorite memories of his children include the debates at the dinner table which inevitably lead to "Well, let's just look that up in the encyclopedia!". He always loved an adventure, as evidenced by participating in the annual family canoe party well past the age most would give it up, skydiving at age 72 with a daughter, and getting his first tattoo at age 83 from a grandson. He took great pride in the experiences and accomplishments of his entire large, extended family; especially his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We are relieved that you can finally rest without pain, Big GG, but already miss you more than we can say.
He was preceded in death by his parents; six of his seven brothers; and several nieces and nephews.
Chuck has donated his body to education and research at Mayo Clinic.
Private family services will be held at a later date.
Obituary & photo published by The Post-Bulletin on May 19, 2015
Charles (Chuck, Charlie) Sylvester German, 84, of Rochester, died peacefully Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Golden Living Center East after a long struggle with Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia.
Chuck was born in White Rock, S.D., July 9, 1930, the eighth of 11 children to Edward and Catherine (Brockhaus) German. The family later moved to Hankinson, N.D., where he grew up working and playing hard on the family farm and walking, uphill both ways, to school every day in a blizzard ("when there wasn't a blizzard, I just didn't go to school," wink). He graduated from St. Francis Academy in Hankinson, the first in his family to finish high school. He would have followed his six older brothers into the military, but his father insisted he and his younger brother were needed more by staying behind to help run the farm. Having missed that opportunity to see the world left Chuck with a lifelong passion to travel and learn about new people and places whenever he could.
Chuck met the love and rock of his life, Donna Marie Latterell, by asking her for a dance at The Prom ballroom in St. Paul. They were married in St. Paul on Nov. 20, 1954. They have nine children, Peggy (Phil) Edwards of Rochester, Rick (Pam Hanenberger) of Rochester, Cathy (Rick) Beckley of Grass Valley, Calif., Bob (Roxanne Luck) of Corona, Calif., Don (Nancy Duchene) of Rochester, John (Virgie Tobias) of Owatonna, Lisa (Don) Schuchard of Millville, Dennis of Rochester and Amy (Kurt) Rabe of Plainview, 23 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren, with two more due soon.
Early jobs included working in the stockyards and on the railroad in St. Paul. While raising his young family, he completed correspondence courses to become an insurance adjuster. He continued in that profession until retirement, primarily in southeastern Minnesota, which brought the family to the Rochester area. He eventually went to work for FEMA, with Donna as his assistant, giving them the chance to travel via work.
Chuck was a warm-hearted and gentle man who had a genuine interest in everybody and everything. He loved to argue any topic just for the sake of the discussion, a trait he passed to the rest of his family. Favorite memories of his children include the debates at the dinner table which inevitably lead to "Well, let's just look that up in the encyclopedia!". He always loved an adventure, as evidenced by participating in the annual family canoe party well past the age most would give it up, skydiving at age 72 with a daughter, and getting his first tattoo at age 83 from a grandson. He took great pride in the experiences and accomplishments of his entire large, extended family; especially his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We are relieved that you can finally rest without pain, Big GG, but already miss you more than we can say.
He was preceded in death by his parents; six of his seven brothers; and several nieces and nephews.
Chuck has donated his body to education and research at Mayo Clinic.
Private family services will be held at a later date.
Obituary & photo published by The Post-Bulletin on May 19, 2015
Chuck was born in White Rock, S.D., July 9, 1930, the eighth of 11 children to Edward and Catherine (Brockhaus) German. The family later moved to Hankinson, N.D., where he grew up working and playing hard on the family farm and walking, uphill both ways, to school every day in a blizzard ("when there wasn't a blizzard, I just didn't go to school," wink). He graduated from St. Francis Academy in Hankinson, the first in his family to finish high school. He would have followed his six older brothers into the military, but his father insisted he and his younger brother were needed more by staying behind to help run the farm. Having missed that opportunity to see the world left Chuck with a lifelong passion to travel and learn about new people and places whenever he could.
Chuck met the love and rock of his life, Donna Marie Latterell, by asking her for a dance at The Prom ballroom in St. Paul. They were married in St. Paul on Nov. 20, 1954. They have nine children, Peggy (Phil) Edwards of Rochester, Rick (Pam Hanenberger) of Rochester, Cathy (Rick) Beckley of Grass Valley, Calif., Bob (Roxanne Luck) of Corona, Calif., Don (Nancy Duchene) of Rochester, John (Virgie Tobias) of Owatonna, Lisa (Don) Schuchard of Millville, Dennis of Rochester and Amy (Kurt) Rabe of Plainview, 23 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren, with two more due soon.
Early jobs included working in the stockyards and on the railroad in St. Paul. While raising his young family, he completed correspondence courses to become an insurance adjuster. He continued in that profession until retirement, primarily in southeastern Minnesota, which brought the family to the Rochester area. He eventually went to work for FEMA, with Donna as his assistant, giving them the chance to travel via work.
Chuck was a warm-hearted and gentle man who had a genuine interest in everybody and everything. He loved to argue any topic just for the sake of the discussion, a trait he passed to the rest of his family. Favorite memories of his children include the debates at the dinner table which inevitably lead to "Well, let's just look that up in the encyclopedia!". He always loved an adventure, as evidenced by participating in the annual family canoe party well past the age most would give it up, skydiving at age 72 with a daughter, and getting his first tattoo at age 83 from a grandson. He took great pride in the experiences and accomplishments of his entire large, extended family; especially his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We are relieved that you can finally rest without pain, Big GG, but already miss you more than we can say.
He was preceded in death by his parents; six of his seven brothers; and several nieces and nephews.
Chuck has donated his body to education and research at Mayo Clinic.
Private family services will be held at a later date.
Obituary & photo published by The Post-Bulletin on May 19, 2015
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