Charles Bryan Kimmel Sr.

Age 87 of West Palm Beach, FL (formerly of Palm Bay), passed away August 13, 2011. He was born April 22, 1924 in Belltown, PA to Lester and Grace Kimmel (now deceased). He was a loving, loyal husband and hero to his wife of 66 years, Gladys, and the beloved father of their son Charles Jr., of Lake Worth, FL. Charles married Gladys on March 31, 1945 after his tour in the European Theatre of Operations as a flight engineer and top turret gunner, spent time in prison camp and later an internment camp. He earned 21 medals during his military career. After 7 years as a civilian he returned to the Airforce and later retired after a total of 20 years as a Master Sergeant. He was a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He became employed 11 years with the United Stated Capitol Police before retiring to Florida. He was a lifetime member of the N.R.A., The Congressional Under Water Explorers Club D.V.A. and also a member of the P.B.S.C., Sea Pines Health Center, Masonic, Scottish Rite and Shriners Club. He attended the Covanent Presbyterian Church. “His Lord will have a special place for him”.

Charles is survived by his wife, Gladys; son, Charles Jr.; daughter-in-law, Lil; sister, Judy Jacobi; three grandchildren, Rebecca, Patricia and Michael; five great grandchildren; one great - great grandson. He was a welcome and loved member of his extended family of his wife, the Wrights and many friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Lester, James, Harold and David.

Eulogies from the service:

"Thank you for giving me a chance to express my love for my Great Grandfather."

"I grew up over a thousand miles away from my Great Grandparents. My memories of them as a child are few. The memories I do have, are nothing more than wonderful. It is hard to speak of my Grandfather without mentioning my Grandmother. They were, indeed, a perfect match. Their love for me was unconditional. They always put their family first. My Grandfather wasn't just any man. He offered the ultimate gift to his country - his life. Within the past two years, I had a chance to play a caretaker role while he recovered from injuries he sustained from falling. I got the time with him that I missed as a child. I learned of his time in World War 2 and the punishment he endured at Stalag POW camp in Germany. He was shot down from the sky and still found the courage to go back into battle and fight the enemy again. He served as a police officer in Washington D.C. He lived a life of fairness and serving others. He didn't judge people from their outsides. For his time, that is remarkable. He was my last surviving Great Grandfather. Charles B. Kimmel Sr. was an example of man. A true hero a victory for all humanity."

- Corey A. Speert, great grandson, Columbus, OH

"My Great Grandfather, My Hero

To me, my great grandfather was more than just any ole grandpa, he was MY hero. He never really liked to talk about what his past years were like in the military until he got sick but one thing he did like to talk about was all the good times he had. I will always remember the times when I was a little girl visiting my great grandparents in their home when he always loved to take me to his "Plane room" to show off his planes. I used to always look at his metals he earned while in the service and it is an honor to have a grandfather so courageous and brave. He was such a loving man to my great grandma and my grandpa Chuck, also to all of his grandchildren and great grand children. I will always admire the love that my great grandparents had for each other. They were inseparable and I would do anything to find the love they had for each other. Growing up him and my grandmother would always talk about how they loved Japan and how they loved to go out dancing. There are so many other memories but; my Great Grandpa, Charles B. Kimmel will be in my heart forever. I love you grandpa."

- Danielle N. Lordier, great granddaughter

"Dedicated to our Hero"

"On Saturday, August 13, 2011 we lost a great hero our grandfather. He was an American hero but he was also our hero. Webster’s dictionary defines hero as an illustrious warrior, a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities, one who shows great courage. We define it with one word, grandpa. We remember taking trips to Maryland to stay with him and grandma. We had a blast seeing the sights, going out in their boat, and meeting other family members. While we knew of his service in the military it wasn’t something he talked a lot about until we got much older. He was a man of principal and integrity which he passed down to our father. He stood admirably firm in his beliefs. While grandma liked to brag and rightfully so about her honey her hero, he was very humble and didn’t have much to say about the war or when he was a POW. As we all got older he opened up and told us stories and we wish they had been written down so they could continue being told. Our father and now two of his great grandsons have followed in his footsteps into the military, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force respectively. He was so very proud of them. Even towards the end of his life he grinned from ear to ear when people thanked him for his service in the military. He could be tough and gruff but he loved his grandchildren and his family and you never doubted that.

Love, it’s just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning. They found each other in high school and gave it meaning that endured for 66 years. Their love matched Aristotle’s definition which was: Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies. Grandpa was the protector and provider and no one better look the wrong way at his honey or boy they were quickly put in their place. Grandma was his devoted champion and family caretaker. They cherished each other and were inseparable. As C.S. Lewis once said, “affection is responsible for nine tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives”. Even when they could no longer care for one another their affection towards each other never ceased. Something that was amazing, rare, and fun to see. They were always holding hands and kissing each other. Being deeply loved gives you strength, and loving deeply gives you courage. It was a privilege to witness, a legacy that hopefully is passed down to our children. He and grandma both often stated that they just hoped we would find someone who deserved us and who would love us and make us happy like they were. We will remember his butterfly kisses, when he was so sick.

In closing we would like to state that our wounded warrior, our Patriarch, our hero is going home. Heaven has celebrated his arrival and very soon, he will be welcomed home to his final resting place with his comrades in arms who have gone before him. Trace Adkins song so rightly states in the voice of the warrior hero’s: We’re thankful for those thankful for the things we’ve done, We can rest in peace, ‘cause we were the chosen ones, We made it to Arlington, yea, dust to dust, Don’t cry for us, we made it to Arlington”. Grandpa the chosen one, to Arlington we send and salute you, welcome home!"

- Patricia Kimmel, Lake Worth, FL; Michael Kimmel, Hollywood, FL --- Grandchildren

"Eulogy for a WWII Hero"

"On Saturday, August 13, 2011, at 2:30 a.m. a great hero of mine passed away.

Charles Kimmel Sr. was and always will be my hero. He is a veteran of World War II. Someone whom I consider a brother in arms even though our years of service are decades apart. I used to listen to his stories about his time in the war when I was a child, both the good and the bad. He survived the nightmare that was the POW camp ‘Stalag’ and returned to America.

His stories always gave me insight into his past, and sadly, those stories will no longer be told from his lips. It truly is a sad day today, but know this. We bury a hero with pride and honor.

On this day, we return a hero to the earth. His time in this world has been spent well. He has a loving wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. His last few years have been yet another trial in his life. Another war; and now, as we lay this hero to rest, I would like both my Great Grandfather and everybody present to know this. “I honor, love, and respect him, even after death. Charles Kimmel Sr. I salute you.”

-Sonar Technician Second Class Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Joseph L. Speert (USN) Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa, Japan -- great grandson.

"This is sad to hear. I wish that I had the chance to know him a little better; it would have been great to hear some of his stories from his service especially since we are fellow maintainers. I am happy to see that Grandma K has some great people to look out for her in times like this. Sixty-six years is a long time to spend with someone."

- Staff Sergeant, Aerospace Ground Equipment, USAF Enlisted, Jeremy Shane Kimmel, S. Korea --great grandson

"My Dad"

"You have heard from my children and grandchildren about my dad’s military experiences and how he was their hero and a great grandfather. Well he was all of that, he was a war hero, and he served his country through WWII, Korea and Viet-Nam. But I want to describe the man who was my father, and who I grew up with.

Like most little boys, my dad was my hero. I didn’t think there was anything that he couldn’t do. I remember on one occasion, a fisherman had hooked a water moccasin at the edge of a dock. My Father, shot the head off that snake with a pistol. Of course I had seen this feat performed numerous times by TV cowboys, and thought no big deal. Only after I was in law enforcement many years later did I appreciate what I had seen. I remember the time as a little boy that he put me on his lap in the front seat of the car and let me steer (or course he never really took his hand off the wheel). No seat belts back then.

My dad also liked to remind me of that time that had injured his back in a coal mine accident. I was about four years old and had witnessed a chiropractor working on him, so I just wanted to help. I asked if I could hit him on his back too, and he said sure. If only he had looked up, he would have seen that I was holding a baseball bat. That must have really hurt.

As I grew older my dad was right there for me in Boy Scouts and DeMolay. He became an Assistant Scout Master and a youth counselor. We had great times, and my father used the skills that he learned in Air Force survival school to teach us about survival in the outdoors. My only regret was that I did not complete the program to become an Eagle Scout, because I know how much he wanted that but never said a word.

Of course I will always remember the experience of living in Japan for four years as a teenager. One of my most memorable times was when I climbed Mt. Fuji with my dad at night to be on top for sunrise. My dad had a great sense of humor and was always up for a little spoof. I remember when my mom was responsible for putting together an entertainment event and talked my dad into performing a hula dance with the hula skirt, coconut bra and a wig. Of course the mustache kind of gave him away.

My mom and dad were always up for a good time. They both loved to dance and did many a polka and waltz together. They were a great pair and seemed to float across the floor. Of course there was the time when my dad accidently let go, and my mom flew instead of float.

Then came graduation from high school. My mom and dad had made up their minds that I was going to college. They obviously didn’t appreciate that I was a bit lazy and not the sharpest tool in the box, but somehow, I got admitted to McMurry University. My dad was so proud that I was the first boy in his family to go to college.

After graduation, I followed in my dad’s footsteps and went into the Military. I went through OCS and became a Naval Officer, and I think that my dad was more proud than I was. Many years later I would write in mom and dad’s 50th anniversary book about how convenient it was for the politicians to keep the Viet-Nam war going long enough for both father and son to serve in the same war.

Then came a time when my first marriage was coming apart. I was no longer in the military and just wasn’t cut out to be an insurance salesman. I needed a jump start to get off in a new direction. Well at this time my father had retired from the military and was a police officer with U.S. Capitol Police. Through my dad’s connections I was able get a recommendation and interview with the U.S. Secret Service. I found my niche and spent the next twenty-nine years in law enforcement. I think my dad felt that he had been repaid when I was able to get him and mom on to the South Grounds at the White House for a Presidential arrival. Over the years I accumulated several autographed photos of Presidents and other dignitaries. My dad always wanted me to make him copies to hang on his wall to show off his son.

I remember when I brought Lil, the love of my life, to meet my parents. Of course I had told them that our relationship was serious. On this first visit my dad began introducing Lil to friends as my fiancée. That was okay except for a little detail that I had not yet proposed to her. A month later, we brought Lil to a family reunion, and I thought I had better give her a ring, before my dad made the introductions.

When my parents celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, I understood what a milestone that was. No two people loved each other more than my mom and dad. They believed and lived the idea that marriage was supposed to be a life-long commitment. They were absolutely inseparable and did everything together. My mom was in her mid-forties, when my dad talked her into scuba diving, and they spent many years diving and boating.

They had their occasional spats like any married couple but no one else had better say anything out of line about my mom or sass her in front of my dad. I remember that when he got into his seventies and eighties, he was still just as feisty, and I sometimes worried that he would bite off more than he could chew.

As my dad reached his sixties, he began having major health problems. Among his many issues were two heart by-pass surgeries, a kidney stint, and two bouts with cancer and knee replacements. I used to joke with him and call him “spare parts” Undoubtedly, he was a war hero, but he also showed real courage and indomitable spirit for twenty-five years of constant medical problems and pain. He never complained and never gave up.

Even though my dad retired from the Air Force in 1969, he never lost his love of flying. At the age of 80 we bought him a ride where he could actually fly the plane, and my mom also bought him a ride. You would have thought he was a high school kid with his first car.

Through all these years there were times when my dad and I did not see eye to eye, but one thing never changed. I always understood that he was a man of principal and courage. When he thought something was the right thing to do, there was no gray area for him. There were times that we both said things in anger to each other that we came to regret, but I know that he loved me, and that he knew that I loved him. And Mom the last thing that I said to dad was a promise to take good care of you."

- Charles B. Kimmel, Jr. Lake Worth, Florida