Charles F Wolfe

Born January 16, 1931, he was the son of Frank M. and Florence E. (Worrall) Wolfe.  He married Jean Elizabeth Richmond on September 1, 1956 at First Christian Church in Pekin.  She survives.

Also surviving are four daughters he adored, Pamela Jean Wolfe of Pekin, Lynn Elizabeth (Charles) Erickson II of Washington, NC, Amy Kay (Alfred) Dela Cruz of Aiea, HI and Julie Wolfe (Carl) Sahlsten of Tampa, FL; five grandchildren, Ashley Jean Dela Cruz, Austin Charles Dela Cruz, Eric Wolfe Sahlsten, Kyle Wolfe Sahlsten and Charles "Chase" Erickson III; one brother, James M. (Barbara) Wolfe of Fargo, ND; and two sisters, Mary Ann (Robert) Wiedeman of Peoria, AZ and Susan Fisher of Ft. Collins, CO.

His parents preceded him in death.

A native of Minot, ND, Chuck was an all-state high school basketball player his junior and senior years, led in state scoring and was named to the original Hall of Fame Class at Minot High School.  In 1953, he graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.  Chuck was a three-time record-setting All-Conference forward on the basketball team at UND from 1950 to 1953.  He set numerous scoring records, including 1950 NCC Rookie of the Year and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976 and to the All-Century Team in 2006.

Chuck was a 1953 draft pick for the Minneapolis Lakers but chose a career with Caterpillar, Inc.  Chuck then was drafted and served in the United States Army during the Korean War.  While in the service, he played baseball and basketball.  He was selected MVP in an all-Army Basketball Tourney and was named to a USA All-Service Team that played in 8 countries and won a tournament in Cairo, Egypt.  He then played basketball for the Caterpillar "Cats" team from 1955 to 1960 and played on teams that won the National Amateur Athletic Union postseason tournaments in 1958 and 1960.  He was named to the U.S. AAU All-Star Squad that toured Russia in 1958 and won all 8 games. In 1960 his team went to the finals of the Olympic Trials for the Rome Olympics.  His team was inducted into the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.

Chuck left Caterpillar in 1962 and started his real estate career in Pekin with Haas & Hodges.  In 1969, he and his friend, A.C. "Mike" Halstead, established Halstead & Wolfe Realtors, where he enjoyed a partnership for more than 35 years.  Halstead & Wolfe joined Century 21 in 1977 and merged with Coldwell Banker in 1999.   Chuck was a member of the Pekin Area Board of Realtors and served as president in 1977-78.  He was selected Realtor of the Year in 1989.

Chuck was community minded and offered his leadership to numerous causes including the former Cancer Crusade as county chairman, as a board member of the Salvation Army and the United Way, both in Pekin.  A member of the Kiwanis Club of Pekin since 1963, Chuck was a former board member, served as president of the club from 1977-78 and was the club’s song leader for more than 10 years.  He was awarded membership in the George F. Hixson Fellowship by his Kiwanis Club in 1999.   He was a former member of the board of directors of the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce and served as its president from 1975-77.   Chuck also was a member of Pekin Country Club and a former member of the Board of Governors, serving as president in 1995.

Chuck was a faithful member of Pekin Bible Church, where he served on the finance committee and enjoyed attending Russ Lindahl's Bible Study. 

His funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 12, 2013 at Pekin Bible Church.  The Rev. Richard W. Jones will officiate.  Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.  Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin, where military rites will be provided by the United States Army and the Tazewell Military Rites Team.

Memorial contributions may be given to Pekin Bible Church, 2405 Court St. Pekin, IL 61554 or to the Tazewell County St. Jude Golf Classic, in care of Pekin Country Club, 310 Country Club Drive, Pekin, IL 61554.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com