Long time area resident Charles "Chuck" Willhite died 17 Dec 2010, at the Jerry Pettis Veterans Administration Hospital in Loma Linda, CA after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was born 27 Jul 1923 in the little Quaker town of Bloomingdale, IN. He was the second son born into the family of Clarence and Maude Willhite.
He attended Urbana High School in Illinois, where he lettered in varsity football, playing the position of left tackle. His senior year the team won the Big 12 League Championship. During basketball season, his was a "swivel-hipped" cheerleader. Chuck was also on the wrestling squad and active in the school's drama productions. In his spare time Chuck worked at his dad's gas station.
Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corp and left for boot camp. After graduation from boot camp, promotion to corporal and a tour as a drill instructor, he was deployed to the Pacific Theater where he participated in the invasion on Saipan and Tinian Islands and occupation of Nagasaki after the atomic boom drop.
Returning to civilian life after the war, Chuck married his high school sweetheart, Annette and enrolled in the University of Illinois at Urbana on the GI Bill. Graduating in 1950 as a Board Certified Therapist he, wife Annette and daughter Jeanette drove to California on Route 66 settling in Lakewood. Chuck worked at the Veterans Hospital in Long Beach, CA and was in charge of the Spinal Cord Injury Unit. While working at the VA, he developed and supervised the gym for spinal cord injury and paraplegic patients and started the first wheelchair basketball team called the "Flying Wheels." During his tenure, he invented a standing frame to be used with spinal cord injury patients to keep their internal organs aligned and help prevent arthritic changes from taking place.
His desire to continue in rehabilitation led to his employment at Drummond Medical Center, where he was the Director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapy Department, the first ever in the Indian Wells Valley. Working closely with Dr. Tom Drummond, he also applied casts, assisted in orthopedic surgeries, dispensed and fit eye glasses and was on call to do eKG's. He taught registered nurses how to do EKGs and clinic and hospital staff how to correctly move and lift patients in bed.
In addition, to his duties at Drummond Medical Group, Chuck was asked by the Boron population to develop a medical center. Chuck oversaw the building of the physical plant, stocked the pharmacy, purchased all of the necessary medical equipment, including the ambulance, and hired all the staff, including Dr. Chase. It was a turn-key operation; Dr. Chase arrived to find his white medical coat and stethoscope hanging in his office! This was all in addition to his full time duties were completed. After Dr. Drummond's retirement, Chuck sought a new challenge by accepting employment at the Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, CA.
In addition to his duties at China Lake, Chuck was published in the Journal of Corrective Therapy and engineering. He was also a registered Safety Engineer. He traveled extensively to Washington, DC and the florida Keys as part of his work.
After retirement from civil service, he returned as a retired annuitant to help with workman's compensation cases. Never one to sit still, Chuck went on to start his own consulting business providing training to the Marines in Barstow, CA at the Marine Logistics Base. Throughout enjoyed Barbershop quartet singing with his two brothers and his father Clarence. After his move to Ridgecrest, he sang in a quartet called the Missile Tones and emceed many of the barbershop shows. Later in life he continued his love of barbarshop style harmony and blended it with his love for the gospel starting a men's barbarshop style gospel chorus. Chuck was interested in a dn took the training to be a Stephen' minister. Chuck would visit the residents at Beverly Manor providing spiritual comfort and music for them.
Charles was predeceased by his older brother Melvin and younger brother Richard and loving wife of 60+ years, Annette.
He is survived by daughters Jeannette Davis (William), Gail York (Randall) and son Gary (Sylvia), grandson Richard Connell II (Sandra), and great-grandchildren Nathan, Kevin and Summer.
Ridgecrest Daily Independent, Ridgecrest, CA 4 Jan 2011
He attended Urbana High School in Illinois, where he lettered in varsity football, playing the position of left tackle. His senior year the team won the Big 12 League Championship. During basketball season, his was a "swivel-hipped" cheerleader. Chuck was also on the wrestling squad and active in the school's drama productions. In his spare time Chuck worked at his dad's gas station.
Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corp and left for boot camp. After graduation from boot camp, promotion to corporal and a tour as a drill instructor, he was deployed to the Pacific Theater where he participated in the invasion on Saipan and Tinian Islands and occupation of Nagasaki after the atomic boom drop.
Returning to civilian life after the war, Chuck married his high school sweetheart, Annette and enrolled in the University of Illinois at Urbana on the GI Bill. Graduating in 1950 as a Board Certified Therapist he, wife Annette and daughter Jeanette drove to California on Route 66 settling in Lakewood. Chuck worked at the Veterans Hospital in Long Beach, CA and was in charge of the Spinal Cord Injury Unit. While working at the VA, he developed and supervised the gym for spinal cord injury and paraplegic patients and started the first wheelchair basketball team called the "Flying Wheels." During his tenure, he invented a standing frame to be used with spinal cord injury patients to keep their internal organs aligned and help prevent arthritic changes from taking place.
His desire to continue in rehabilitation led to his employment at Drummond Medical Center, where he was the Director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapy Department, the first ever in the Indian Wells Valley. Working closely with Dr. Tom Drummond, he also applied casts, assisted in orthopedic surgeries, dispensed and fit eye glasses and was on call to do eKG's. He taught registered nurses how to do EKGs and clinic and hospital staff how to correctly move and lift patients in bed.
In addition, to his duties at Drummond Medical Group, Chuck was asked by the Boron population to develop a medical center. Chuck oversaw the building of the physical plant, stocked the pharmacy, purchased all of the necessary medical equipment, including the ambulance, and hired all the staff, including Dr. Chase. It was a turn-key operation; Dr. Chase arrived to find his white medical coat and stethoscope hanging in his office! This was all in addition to his full time duties were completed. After Dr. Drummond's retirement, Chuck sought a new challenge by accepting employment at the Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, CA.
In addition to his duties at China Lake, Chuck was published in the Journal of Corrective Therapy and engineering. He was also a registered Safety Engineer. He traveled extensively to Washington, DC and the florida Keys as part of his work.
After retirement from civil service, he returned as a retired annuitant to help with workman's compensation cases. Never one to sit still, Chuck went on to start his own consulting business providing training to the Marines in Barstow, CA at the Marine Logistics Base. Throughout enjoyed Barbershop quartet singing with his two brothers and his father Clarence. After his move to Ridgecrest, he sang in a quartet called the Missile Tones and emceed many of the barbershop shows. Later in life he continued his love of barbarshop style harmony and blended it with his love for the gospel starting a men's barbarshop style gospel chorus. Chuck was interested in a dn took the training to be a Stephen' minister. Chuck would visit the residents at Beverly Manor providing spiritual comfort and music for them.
Charles was predeceased by his older brother Melvin and younger brother Richard and loving wife of 60+ years, Annette.
He is survived by daughters Jeannette Davis (William), Gail York (Randall) and son Gary (Sylvia), grandson Richard Connell II (Sandra), and great-grandchildren Nathan, Kevin and Summer.
Ridgecrest Daily Independent, Ridgecrest, CA 4 Jan 2011
Long time area resident Charles "Chuck" Willhite died 17 Dec 2010, at the Jerry Pettis Veterans Administration Hospital in Loma Linda, CA after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was born 27 Jul 1923 in the little Quaker town of Bloomingdale, IN. He was the second son born into the family of Clarence and Maude Willhite.
He attended Urbana High School in Illinois, where he lettered in varsity football, playing the position of left tackle. His senior year the team won the Big 12 League Championship. During basketball season, his was a "swivel-hipped" cheerleader. Chuck was also on the wrestling squad and active in the school's drama productions. In his spare time Chuck worked at his dad's gas station.
Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corp and left for boot camp. After graduation from boot camp, promotion to corporal and a tour as a drill instructor, he was deployed to the Pacific Theater where he participated in the invasion on Saipan and Tinian Islands and occupation of Nagasaki after the atomic boom drop.
Returning to civilian life after the war, Chuck married his high school sweetheart, Annette and enrolled in the University of Illinois at Urbana on the GI Bill. Graduating in 1950 as a Board Certified Therapist he, wife Annette and daughter Jeanette drove to California on Route 66 settling in Lakewood. Chuck worked at the Veterans Hospital in Long Beach, CA and was in charge of the Spinal Cord Injury Unit. While working at the VA, he developed and supervised the gym for spinal cord injury and paraplegic patients and started the first wheelchair basketball team called the "Flying Wheels." During his tenure, he invented a standing frame to be used with spinal cord injury patients to keep their internal organs aligned and help prevent arthritic changes from taking place.
His desire to continue in rehabilitation led to his employment at Drummond Medical Center, where he was the Director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapy Department, the first ever in the Indian Wells Valley. Working closely with Dr. Tom Drummond, he also applied casts, assisted in orthopedic surgeries, dispensed and fit eye glasses and was on call to do eKG's. He taught registered nurses how to do EKGs and clinic and hospital staff how to correctly move and lift patients in bed.
In addition, to his duties at Drummond Medical Group, Chuck was asked by the Boron population to develop a medical center. Chuck oversaw the building of the physical plant, stocked the pharmacy, purchased all of the necessary medical equipment, including the ambulance, and hired all the staff, including Dr. Chase. It was a turn-key operation; Dr. Chase arrived to find his white medical coat and stethoscope hanging in his office! This was all in addition to his full time duties were completed. After Dr. Drummond's retirement, Chuck sought a new challenge by accepting employment at the Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, CA.
In addition to his duties at China Lake, Chuck was published in the Journal of Corrective Therapy and engineering. He was also a registered Safety Engineer. He traveled extensively to Washington, DC and the florida Keys as part of his work.
After retirement from civil service, he returned as a retired annuitant to help with workman's compensation cases. Never one to sit still, Chuck went on to start his own consulting business providing training to the Marines in Barstow, CA at the Marine Logistics Base. Throughout enjoyed Barbershop quartet singing with his two brothers and his father Clarence. After his move to Ridgecrest, he sang in a quartet called the Missile Tones and emceed many of the barbershop shows. Later in life he continued his love of barbarshop style harmony and blended it with his love for the gospel starting a men's barbarshop style gospel chorus. Chuck was interested in a dn took the training to be a Stephen' minister. Chuck would visit the residents at Beverly Manor providing spiritual comfort and music for them.
Charles was predeceased by his older brother Melvin and younger brother Richard and loving wife of 60+ years, Annette.
He is survived by daughters Jeannette Davis (William), Gail York (Randall) and son Gary (Sylvia), grandson Richard Connell II (Sandra), and great-grandchildren Nathan, Kevin and Summer.
Ridgecrest Daily Independent, Ridgecrest, CA 4 Jan 2011
He attended Urbana High School in Illinois, where he lettered in varsity football, playing the position of left tackle. His senior year the team won the Big 12 League Championship. During basketball season, his was a "swivel-hipped" cheerleader. Chuck was also on the wrestling squad and active in the school's drama productions. In his spare time Chuck worked at his dad's gas station.
Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corp and left for boot camp. After graduation from boot camp, promotion to corporal and a tour as a drill instructor, he was deployed to the Pacific Theater where he participated in the invasion on Saipan and Tinian Islands and occupation of Nagasaki after the atomic boom drop.
Returning to civilian life after the war, Chuck married his high school sweetheart, Annette and enrolled in the University of Illinois at Urbana on the GI Bill. Graduating in 1950 as a Board Certified Therapist he, wife Annette and daughter Jeanette drove to California on Route 66 settling in Lakewood. Chuck worked at the Veterans Hospital in Long Beach, CA and was in charge of the Spinal Cord Injury Unit. While working at the VA, he developed and supervised the gym for spinal cord injury and paraplegic patients and started the first wheelchair basketball team called the "Flying Wheels." During his tenure, he invented a standing frame to be used with spinal cord injury patients to keep their internal organs aligned and help prevent arthritic changes from taking place.
His desire to continue in rehabilitation led to his employment at Drummond Medical Center, where he was the Director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapy Department, the first ever in the Indian Wells Valley. Working closely with Dr. Tom Drummond, he also applied casts, assisted in orthopedic surgeries, dispensed and fit eye glasses and was on call to do eKG's. He taught registered nurses how to do EKGs and clinic and hospital staff how to correctly move and lift patients in bed.
In addition, to his duties at Drummond Medical Group, Chuck was asked by the Boron population to develop a medical center. Chuck oversaw the building of the physical plant, stocked the pharmacy, purchased all of the necessary medical equipment, including the ambulance, and hired all the staff, including Dr. Chase. It was a turn-key operation; Dr. Chase arrived to find his white medical coat and stethoscope hanging in his office! This was all in addition to his full time duties were completed. After Dr. Drummond's retirement, Chuck sought a new challenge by accepting employment at the Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, CA.
In addition to his duties at China Lake, Chuck was published in the Journal of Corrective Therapy and engineering. He was also a registered Safety Engineer. He traveled extensively to Washington, DC and the florida Keys as part of his work.
After retirement from civil service, he returned as a retired annuitant to help with workman's compensation cases. Never one to sit still, Chuck went on to start his own consulting business providing training to the Marines in Barstow, CA at the Marine Logistics Base. Throughout enjoyed Barbershop quartet singing with his two brothers and his father Clarence. After his move to Ridgecrest, he sang in a quartet called the Missile Tones and emceed many of the barbershop shows. Later in life he continued his love of barbarshop style harmony and blended it with his love for the gospel starting a men's barbarshop style gospel chorus. Chuck was interested in a dn took the training to be a Stephen' minister. Chuck would visit the residents at Beverly Manor providing spiritual comfort and music for them.
Charles was predeceased by his older brother Melvin and younger brother Richard and loving wife of 60+ years, Annette.
He is survived by daughters Jeannette Davis (William), Gail York (Randall) and son Gary (Sylvia), grandson Richard Connell II (Sandra), and great-grandchildren Nathan, Kevin and Summer.
Ridgecrest Daily Independent, Ridgecrest, CA 4 Jan 2011
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