Charles "Chick" Ruoti
October 28, 1930 ~ January 20, 2023
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
-Kahlil Gibran
What we almost believed couldn't happen; happened.
Our amazing, legend of a father Charles "Chick" Ruoti reluctantly and with tremendous fortitude left us on January 20, 2023. Chick loved life and leaned into every measure required to prolong his stay on earth. He cheated death so often that we started to believe, and dared to hope that
he may never, as he labeled it, "go away." We were blessed with and cherished this extra time as it revealed a softer, more open, loving, and joyful side of him. His attitude gifted us the honor of accompanying him on a self-guided journey of remembrance of a truly honorable life, exceptionally well lived. Chick grabbed, held onto, and cherished the abundance of his life that he created.
He had an unrelenting strong body that continually bounced back from a variety of situations. He conquered pneumonia coupled with sepsis, multiple strokes, a heart that virtually no part worked as it should, and the most terrifying, choking on Christmas Eve, which left him without a pulse for multiple minutes. The men in his life surrounded him with their strength and determination performing CPR that brought him back from certain death. We were told we received a "Christmas miracle" from emergency room physicians, and we believed them completely. Despite all that, he didn't experience physical pain or ever complain. He remained active and moved his body very well; he was even able to get on and off the floor and crawl under a car until just a few years ago. He felt blessed and lucky as he reviewed his life, who he loved, and the people who loved him. Whenever he was asked how he felt, he replied, "brand new."
He demonstrated true love to us by caring selflessly for our mother Lula, then his sister Lucille and since the age of 3 months old, his cherished granddaughter, Christina. He unrelentingly gave all that he had and all that he could. If he had a dime, he would give nine pennies; if he had an hour; he would give 59 minutes. He gave 100 percent of his knowledge and one could always enjoy the benefit of his life experiences. He shared his mistakes, his successes, and his stories with anyone who expressed an interest. He would share his beliefs while respecting yours; he was the embodiment of the saying, "live and let live." He wasn't religious in a traditional sense, but he lived a life that encompassed the highest values that can be gleaned from many religious faiths. Although not known to everyone, he continued to think, rethink and question political, social, and cultural norms. He was open to new ideas and new ways of living and thinking about this life on earth, as he truly wanted the best and happiest existence for everyone. To this end, he worked at it, he contributed his time and money toward it; whatever he could do, he did.
He was born on the kitchen table on October 28, 1930, to Antonio and Lillian Ruoti during the depression. They existed off a substance farm where he had responsibilities to care for the animals and gardens that fed his family. These responsibilities came at a young age and served to shape his character. He was the youngest sibling of Lavern, Walter, Lucille, and Louise Ruoti. He loved his siblings and later came to know and love their spouses respectively, Henry, Marian, Elaine, and Louise's husband Roland Garner. He enjoyed a close and loving relationship with his wife's siblings, John Peters and his wife Pam, Bill Peters and his wife Vicky, George Peters and his wife Charlene, Helen and her spouse Harry Soteras, Dena and her spouse Larry Noland. He even gained acceptance and love from his mother-in-law Angeline Peters who wasn't happy that her precious Lula married an Italian man instead of a Greek man.
Chick was "a car guy." From a young age, he loved cars and everything about them. He is known to many for his well-respected business, Chick's Transmissions. He enjoyed a reputation for being extremely honest, for his outstanding work ethic, and for his creativity in problem-solving with impeccable quality. After he "retired" at approximately 85, he kept a small shop space and continued to work on antique cars, his and others.
Chick served in the Korean Conflict on the front lines. He lived and fought from a hole in the ground. He spoke of the fragility and irony of life as he saw several people lose their lives the first day they arrived and on the other hand, many who survived gruesome injuries. He struggled to reconcile his time in Korea. He rose in rank but when he refused to require his men to perform a task he found morally objectionable, he was demoted. He gladly accepted his demotion.
Chick loved coffee, the color blue, baseball, caramel, all breeds of cats and dogs, and was partial to a few mild swear words. He was strikingly good-looking with his jet black hair of his youth that later became a gorgeous cascade of white. He had bright blue eyes and he was James Dean cool. He loved food and enjoyed his thrice weekly lunches with his car buddies, Jerry Prout, Dee Johnson, and the late Jerry Mckenna and Arnold Conrad, whom he had known since grade school.
He didn't know he was legendary, uniquely generous, and exceptional; it was just how he carried himself through life. He was forever humble and understated. At his unwavering request, rather more of a command, he was buried without a funeral. He was interned along with the person he loved most in this world, his wife Lula, who preceded him in death on October 24, 2010. We didn't think he would survive a single minute without her, but he forged ahead with his characteristic grit and resolve. He showed us how to move forward in the face of utter devastation. He came to understand and accept that his gift in her was so tremendous, that his loss was equally enormous. He managed to find happiness and joy despite his unimaginable loss.
We will follow his many examples and we will forge a new path without him, even though his death leaves a cavernous void. May his memory be eternal.
October 28, 1930 ~ January 20, 2023
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
-Kahlil Gibran
What we almost believed couldn't happen; happened.
Our amazing, legend of a father Charles "Chick" Ruoti reluctantly and with tremendous fortitude left us on January 20, 2023. Chick loved life and leaned into every measure required to prolong his stay on earth. He cheated death so often that we started to believe, and dared to hope that
he may never, as he labeled it, "go away." We were blessed with and cherished this extra time as it revealed a softer, more open, loving, and joyful side of him. His attitude gifted us the honor of accompanying him on a self-guided journey of remembrance of a truly honorable life, exceptionally well lived. Chick grabbed, held onto, and cherished the abundance of his life that he created.
He had an unrelenting strong body that continually bounced back from a variety of situations. He conquered pneumonia coupled with sepsis, multiple strokes, a heart that virtually no part worked as it should, and the most terrifying, choking on Christmas Eve, which left him without a pulse for multiple minutes. The men in his life surrounded him with their strength and determination performing CPR that brought him back from certain death. We were told we received a "Christmas miracle" from emergency room physicians, and we believed them completely. Despite all that, he didn't experience physical pain or ever complain. He remained active and moved his body very well; he was even able to get on and off the floor and crawl under a car until just a few years ago. He felt blessed and lucky as he reviewed his life, who he loved, and the people who loved him. Whenever he was asked how he felt, he replied, "brand new."
He demonstrated true love to us by caring selflessly for our mother Lula, then his sister Lucille and since the age of 3 months old, his cherished granddaughter, Christina. He unrelentingly gave all that he had and all that he could. If he had a dime, he would give nine pennies; if he had an hour; he would give 59 minutes. He gave 100 percent of his knowledge and one could always enjoy the benefit of his life experiences. He shared his mistakes, his successes, and his stories with anyone who expressed an interest. He would share his beliefs while respecting yours; he was the embodiment of the saying, "live and let live." He wasn't religious in a traditional sense, but he lived a life that encompassed the highest values that can be gleaned from many religious faiths. Although not known to everyone, he continued to think, rethink and question political, social, and cultural norms. He was open to new ideas and new ways of living and thinking about this life on earth, as he truly wanted the best and happiest existence for everyone. To this end, he worked at it, he contributed his time and money toward it; whatever he could do, he did.
He was born on the kitchen table on October 28, 1930, to Antonio and Lillian Ruoti during the depression. They existed off a substance farm where he had responsibilities to care for the animals and gardens that fed his family. These responsibilities came at a young age and served to shape his character. He was the youngest sibling of Lavern, Walter, Lucille, and Louise Ruoti. He loved his siblings and later came to know and love their spouses respectively, Henry, Marian, Elaine, and Louise's husband Roland Garner. He enjoyed a close and loving relationship with his wife's siblings, John Peters and his wife Pam, Bill Peters and his wife Vicky, George Peters and his wife Charlene, Helen and her spouse Harry Soteras, Dena and her spouse Larry Noland. He even gained acceptance and love from his mother-in-law Angeline Peters who wasn't happy that her precious Lula married an Italian man instead of a Greek man.
Chick was "a car guy." From a young age, he loved cars and everything about them. He is known to many for his well-respected business, Chick's Transmissions. He enjoyed a reputation for being extremely honest, for his outstanding work ethic, and for his creativity in problem-solving with impeccable quality. After he "retired" at approximately 85, he kept a small shop space and continued to work on antique cars, his and others.
Chick served in the Korean Conflict on the front lines. He lived and fought from a hole in the ground. He spoke of the fragility and irony of life as he saw several people lose their lives the first day they arrived and on the other hand, many who survived gruesome injuries. He struggled to reconcile his time in Korea. He rose in rank but when he refused to require his men to perform a task he found morally objectionable, he was demoted. He gladly accepted his demotion.
Chick loved coffee, the color blue, baseball, caramel, all breeds of cats and dogs, and was partial to a few mild swear words. He was strikingly good-looking with his jet black hair of his youth that later became a gorgeous cascade of white. He had bright blue eyes and he was James Dean cool. He loved food and enjoyed his thrice weekly lunches with his car buddies, Jerry Prout, Dee Johnson, and the late Jerry Mckenna and Arnold Conrad, whom he had known since grade school.
He didn't know he was legendary, uniquely generous, and exceptional; it was just how he carried himself through life. He was forever humble and understated. At his unwavering request, rather more of a command, he was buried without a funeral. He was interned along with the person he loved most in this world, his wife Lula, who preceded him in death on October 24, 2010. We didn't think he would survive a single minute without her, but he forged ahead with his characteristic grit and resolve. He showed us how to move forward in the face of utter devastation. He came to understand and accept that his gift in her was so tremendous, that his loss was equally enormous. He managed to find happiness and joy despite his unimaginable loss.
We will follow his many examples and we will forge a new path without him, even though his death leaves a cavernous void. May his memory be eternal.
Charles "Chick" Ruoti
October 28, 1930 ~ January 20, 2023
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
-Kahlil Gibran
What we almost believed couldn't happen; happened.
Our amazing, legend of a father Charles "Chick" Ruoti reluctantly and with tremendous fortitude left us on January 20, 2023. Chick loved life and leaned into every measure required to prolong his stay on earth. He cheated death so often that we started to believe, and dared to hope that
he may never, as he labeled it, "go away." We were blessed with and cherished this extra time as it revealed a softer, more open, loving, and joyful side of him. His attitude gifted us the honor of accompanying him on a self-guided journey of remembrance of a truly honorable life, exceptionally well lived. Chick grabbed, held onto, and cherished the abundance of his life that he created.
He had an unrelenting strong body that continually bounced back from a variety of situations. He conquered pneumonia coupled with sepsis, multiple strokes, a heart that virtually no part worked as it should, and the most terrifying, choking on Christmas Eve, which left him without a pulse for multiple minutes. The men in his life surrounded him with their strength and determination performing CPR that brought him back from certain death. We were told we received a "Christmas miracle" from emergency room physicians, and we believed them completely. Despite all that, he didn't experience physical pain or ever complain. He remained active and moved his body very well; he was even able to get on and off the floor and crawl under a car until just a few years ago. He felt blessed and lucky as he reviewed his life, who he loved, and the people who loved him. Whenever he was asked how he felt, he replied, "brand new."
He demonstrated true love to us by caring selflessly for our mother Lula, then his sister Lucille and since the age of 3 months old, his cherished granddaughter, Christina. He unrelentingly gave all that he had and all that he could. If he had a dime, he would give nine pennies; if he had an hour; he would give 59 minutes. He gave 100 percent of his knowledge and one could always enjoy the benefit of his life experiences. He shared his mistakes, his successes, and his stories with anyone who expressed an interest. He would share his beliefs while respecting yours; he was the embodiment of the saying, "live and let live." He wasn't religious in a traditional sense, but he lived a life that encompassed the highest values that can be gleaned from many religious faiths. Although not known to everyone, he continued to think, rethink and question political, social, and cultural norms. He was open to new ideas and new ways of living and thinking about this life on earth, as he truly wanted the best and happiest existence for everyone. To this end, he worked at it, he contributed his time and money toward it; whatever he could do, he did.
He was born on the kitchen table on October 28, 1930, to Antonio and Lillian Ruoti during the depression. They existed off a substance farm where he had responsibilities to care for the animals and gardens that fed his family. These responsibilities came at a young age and served to shape his character. He was the youngest sibling of Lavern, Walter, Lucille, and Louise Ruoti. He loved his siblings and later came to know and love their spouses respectively, Henry, Marian, Elaine, and Louise's husband Roland Garner. He enjoyed a close and loving relationship with his wife's siblings, John Peters and his wife Pam, Bill Peters and his wife Vicky, George Peters and his wife Charlene, Helen and her spouse Harry Soteras, Dena and her spouse Larry Noland. He even gained acceptance and love from his mother-in-law Angeline Peters who wasn't happy that her precious Lula married an Italian man instead of a Greek man.
Chick was "a car guy." From a young age, he loved cars and everything about them. He is known to many for his well-respected business, Chick's Transmissions. He enjoyed a reputation for being extremely honest, for his outstanding work ethic, and for his creativity in problem-solving with impeccable quality. After he "retired" at approximately 85, he kept a small shop space and continued to work on antique cars, his and others.
Chick served in the Korean Conflict on the front lines. He lived and fought from a hole in the ground. He spoke of the fragility and irony of life as he saw several people lose their lives the first day they arrived and on the other hand, many who survived gruesome injuries. He struggled to reconcile his time in Korea. He rose in rank but when he refused to require his men to perform a task he found morally objectionable, he was demoted. He gladly accepted his demotion.
Chick loved coffee, the color blue, baseball, caramel, all breeds of cats and dogs, and was partial to a few mild swear words. He was strikingly good-looking with his jet black hair of his youth that later became a gorgeous cascade of white. He had bright blue eyes and he was James Dean cool. He loved food and enjoyed his thrice weekly lunches with his car buddies, Jerry Prout, Dee Johnson, and the late Jerry Mckenna and Arnold Conrad, whom he had known since grade school.
He didn't know he was legendary, uniquely generous, and exceptional; it was just how he carried himself through life. He was forever humble and understated. At his unwavering request, rather more of a command, he was buried without a funeral. He was interned along with the person he loved most in this world, his wife Lula, who preceded him in death on October 24, 2010. We didn't think he would survive a single minute without her, but he forged ahead with his characteristic grit and resolve. He showed us how to move forward in the face of utter devastation. He came to understand and accept that his gift in her was so tremendous, that his loss was equally enormous. He managed to find happiness and joy despite his unimaginable loss.
We will follow his many examples and we will forge a new path without him, even though his death leaves a cavernous void. May his memory be eternal.
October 28, 1930 ~ January 20, 2023
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
-Kahlil Gibran
What we almost believed couldn't happen; happened.
Our amazing, legend of a father Charles "Chick" Ruoti reluctantly and with tremendous fortitude left us on January 20, 2023. Chick loved life and leaned into every measure required to prolong his stay on earth. He cheated death so often that we started to believe, and dared to hope that
he may never, as he labeled it, "go away." We were blessed with and cherished this extra time as it revealed a softer, more open, loving, and joyful side of him. His attitude gifted us the honor of accompanying him on a self-guided journey of remembrance of a truly honorable life, exceptionally well lived. Chick grabbed, held onto, and cherished the abundance of his life that he created.
He had an unrelenting strong body that continually bounced back from a variety of situations. He conquered pneumonia coupled with sepsis, multiple strokes, a heart that virtually no part worked as it should, and the most terrifying, choking on Christmas Eve, which left him without a pulse for multiple minutes. The men in his life surrounded him with their strength and determination performing CPR that brought him back from certain death. We were told we received a "Christmas miracle" from emergency room physicians, and we believed them completely. Despite all that, he didn't experience physical pain or ever complain. He remained active and moved his body very well; he was even able to get on and off the floor and crawl under a car until just a few years ago. He felt blessed and lucky as he reviewed his life, who he loved, and the people who loved him. Whenever he was asked how he felt, he replied, "brand new."
He demonstrated true love to us by caring selflessly for our mother Lula, then his sister Lucille and since the age of 3 months old, his cherished granddaughter, Christina. He unrelentingly gave all that he had and all that he could. If he had a dime, he would give nine pennies; if he had an hour; he would give 59 minutes. He gave 100 percent of his knowledge and one could always enjoy the benefit of his life experiences. He shared his mistakes, his successes, and his stories with anyone who expressed an interest. He would share his beliefs while respecting yours; he was the embodiment of the saying, "live and let live." He wasn't religious in a traditional sense, but he lived a life that encompassed the highest values that can be gleaned from many religious faiths. Although not known to everyone, he continued to think, rethink and question political, social, and cultural norms. He was open to new ideas and new ways of living and thinking about this life on earth, as he truly wanted the best and happiest existence for everyone. To this end, he worked at it, he contributed his time and money toward it; whatever he could do, he did.
He was born on the kitchen table on October 28, 1930, to Antonio and Lillian Ruoti during the depression. They existed off a substance farm where he had responsibilities to care for the animals and gardens that fed his family. These responsibilities came at a young age and served to shape his character. He was the youngest sibling of Lavern, Walter, Lucille, and Louise Ruoti. He loved his siblings and later came to know and love their spouses respectively, Henry, Marian, Elaine, and Louise's husband Roland Garner. He enjoyed a close and loving relationship with his wife's siblings, John Peters and his wife Pam, Bill Peters and his wife Vicky, George Peters and his wife Charlene, Helen and her spouse Harry Soteras, Dena and her spouse Larry Noland. He even gained acceptance and love from his mother-in-law Angeline Peters who wasn't happy that her precious Lula married an Italian man instead of a Greek man.
Chick was "a car guy." From a young age, he loved cars and everything about them. He is known to many for his well-respected business, Chick's Transmissions. He enjoyed a reputation for being extremely honest, for his outstanding work ethic, and for his creativity in problem-solving with impeccable quality. After he "retired" at approximately 85, he kept a small shop space and continued to work on antique cars, his and others.
Chick served in the Korean Conflict on the front lines. He lived and fought from a hole in the ground. He spoke of the fragility and irony of life as he saw several people lose their lives the first day they arrived and on the other hand, many who survived gruesome injuries. He struggled to reconcile his time in Korea. He rose in rank but when he refused to require his men to perform a task he found morally objectionable, he was demoted. He gladly accepted his demotion.
Chick loved coffee, the color blue, baseball, caramel, all breeds of cats and dogs, and was partial to a few mild swear words. He was strikingly good-looking with his jet black hair of his youth that later became a gorgeous cascade of white. He had bright blue eyes and he was James Dean cool. He loved food and enjoyed his thrice weekly lunches with his car buddies, Jerry Prout, Dee Johnson, and the late Jerry Mckenna and Arnold Conrad, whom he had known since grade school.
He didn't know he was legendary, uniquely generous, and exceptional; it was just how he carried himself through life. He was forever humble and understated. At his unwavering request, rather more of a command, he was buried without a funeral. He was interned along with the person he loved most in this world, his wife Lula, who preceded him in death on October 24, 2010. We didn't think he would survive a single minute without her, but he forged ahead with his characteristic grit and resolve. He showed us how to move forward in the face of utter devastation. He came to understand and accept that his gift in her was so tremendous, that his loss was equally enormous. He managed to find happiness and joy despite his unimaginable loss.
We will follow his many examples and we will forge a new path without him, even though his death leaves a cavernous void. May his memory be eternal.
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