Charles ‘Chuck’ Keith Elvin, 80, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on June 20, 2018 in Olathe, KS. Chuck was born to Evelyn (Johnson) and Carl Elvin on October 22, 1937 in McPherson, KS.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his son John David, and his beloved wife of 52 years Cheryl Ann (Wilson) Elvin.
He is survived by three sons, his life partner and soul-mate Sandy Green of Denver, CO; Jim Elvin of Lenexa; Brian (Linda) of Overland Park; and Bill (Rachel) of Lenexa; and seven grandchildren Jennifer Deuson (Nic), David (Laura), Thomas, Charles, Steven, Morgan, and John; and four great-grandchildren Isla, Ethan, Finnegan, and Owen; sister Karlene Preston (Jerrold) of Blue Springs, MO; brother Barry Elvin (Lynne) of Thompson’s Station, TN; daughter-in-law Mary Elvin of Allen, TX; brother-in-law Bob Wilson (Carol) of Gardner, KS; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family.
Chuck grew up in Haven where he played football and was on the high school state championship basketball team of 1955. He then attended the University of Kansas where he played football, studied engineering and history, participated in the Navy ROTC, was vice president of his fraternity Alpha Kappa Lambda, and met Cherie. They married and began their family, having three boys within four years while he worked in Wichita and then at Macy’s and Armour in Kansas City.
In 1967, he began working for TWA and they built a home ‘in the country’ in Lenexa where he has lived and formed life-long friendships with his neighbors since 1972. He and Cherie completed their Accounting degrees together at Avila College in 1980. After more than 37 years with TWA then American Airlines, he retired in 2005.
Chuck enjoyed watching his sons (and grandchildren) participate in a wide variety of sports and activities. He and Cherie began volunteering with the local wrestling club. Chuck became the Chairman of USAW-KS and helped Kansas increase their number of youth wrestlers every year. He received multiple honors over the years, including being named the USA Wrestling State Chairperson of the Year in 1994, voted the Kansas Kids’ Person of the Year in 1998, inducted into the State Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005, and being placed in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009.
His job with the airlines afforded him many opportunities to travel with his family throughout his life which he enjoyed immensely. He visited Hong Kong, Cairo, Tel Aviv, London, Paris, Rome, Amalfi, Milan, and his favorite island of Maui. Chuck was hoping for one more trip to Yellowstone. He enjoyed opera, symphonies, and classical music of all kinds. He and Sandy had traveled to Santa Fe and Denver to see operas.
Chuck and his family had attended the Reno Air Races religiously for over 20 years. It quickly became a tradition every September as a perfect family reunion spot.
He was an avid KU fan and loved attending basketball and football games with family, friends, and classmates. He was ‘all in’ with everything he did – his family, his work, volunteering, church youth activities, and choir.
The patriarch of a growing and busy extended family, he will be greatly missed by all. His smile, his suggestions or nudgings, his willingness to persevere and problem-solve, his fighting spirit all helped his family get through the difficult times. Chuck was an example to all who knew him for his honesty, work ethic and love of a job well done.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org), National Kidney Foundation(www.kidney.org) , Diabetes Foundation (www.diabetes.org), Pancreatic Cancer Research (www.pancan.org), or Parkinson’s Research (www.parkinson.org).
Visitation will be at Grace United Methodist Church at 11485 S. Ridgeview Road in Olathe, KS on Friday evening, June 29, from 4-7 PM. A Celebration of Life will be held there on Saturday, June 30 at 11 AM.
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