Richard Elliott Chelius

On September 4th, 1929, Richard Elliot (Dick) Chelius was born to the late Raymond Carl and Marie Lillian Blacklock Chelius in Buffalo (Kenmore), New York. Richard attended Carnegie Institute of Technology (Carnegie Melon University) where he was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and successfully graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He also held a Master of Science in Business Administration from Arizona State University. He performed graduate work in economics at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and held a diploma from the Nestle founded IMD- Institute for Management Development (IMEDE) in Lausanne. In his early career, he worked in engineering and management at General Electric Company in the United States and Europe. His diligence in his education and career extended far beyond normal expectations which made him very accomplished.

He then went on to serve for 22 years as an aviator in the US Navy and Naval Reserve. He was qualified to pilot military and civilian aircraft, including piston and jet fighters, helicopters, and multi-engine models. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander and then retired in 1976. Dick served his country with pride and honor which led over to his devoted love for his family.

Dick met his beloved Kerstin in a student café in Lausanne, Switzerland. They were married in Seglora Church in Stockholm, Sweden, and then moved to New York City. The two naturally were compatible with each other in almost every facet of life itself. Together they bought and merged four small companies in New York to form a family-owned importing and national wholesale distribution business of clocks and music boxes. In 1970 they relocated their business and their small family to Jacksonville, Florida. Then sometime later an opportunity arose for Dick to become a manager for new business developments in the Middle East, in places such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi.

Over the next 20 years, Dick worked as a business analyst and commercial construction Project Director. His US commercial projects included the Chrysler Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and the West Palm Beach Courthouse in Florida. In 1993, he joined an Ethiopian investment company and established the sole import and distribution dealership in that country for General Motors cars and trucks. He was instrumental in setting up a telecommunication sales company in Addis Ababa and sold the first MITEL private business telephone exchange in Ethiopia. Later, he became a senior project manager over the construction of three factories in Addis Ababa. He worked in and out of Ethiopia for eight years until retiring to Jacksonville in 2001. By the end of his career, Dick was proud to say that he had traveled across the Atlantic 81 times.

Aside from his career, Dick was a long time member of the Rotary Club of North Jacksonville. He is a two-time Paul Harris Fellow and served as president of the club from 2008-2009. During his year as president, the club was recognized for its longtime reading and book distribution program for first graders in Duval County Schools. Dick valued education and his great joy was the accomplishments of his family.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years Kerstin Sandmark Chelius, their daughter, Anita Freyer (MS Instructional Design), her husband Chris Freyer (MS Computer Science) and their three children, Danielle Freyer (MS Supply Chain Management), 1LT Nicholas Freyer (BS Business Management), and Nathaniel Freyer (Mechanical Engineering student).

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in honor of Dick by making checks payable to The Rotary Charities of North Jacksonville: Memo Line- Childhood Reading Center at Community Health Outreach (Memory of Richard Chelius). Please send to Rotary Charities of North Jacksonville, C/O Synovus Bank. 521 Airport Center Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32211.

A Celebration of Life will be held at San Jose Episcopal Church at 11:00 am on December 20th, 2021.