Charles Schall

Charles Schall was proud to be an American and was committed to all that America stands for. He served his country as a courageous soldier, his community as a respected police officer and his family as a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather. Charles understood the value of hard work and faithfully provided for his loved ones, and all the while sharing much love and laughter too.

The early 1920s were a collage of interesting events. There were power struggles in Russia, Babe Ruth was setting baseball records, and the first Miss America was crowned. But for most of the people living in the mining community of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, such happenings were nothing more than headlines in a newspaper. Their lives centered around raising their families and earning a living. This was the life of Charles and Pansy (Cogley) Schall. Like many men in the town, Charles worked in the coal mines, while Pansy tended to their home and impending family. On December 28, 1921, they were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby boy they named Charles.

Along with his brother, Bill, Charles grew up in a loving, Christian home. The family was members of the Reformed Church, and this strong Christian upbringing would become an important part of Charles’ life. He attended the area schools until the ninth grade, and then went to work to help his family during the harsh days of the Great Depression. Like his father, Charles went through training which qualified him to work in the mines, and although it was hard work and dirty, the income certainly helped support his family. Even though work was vital in these days, Charles never forgot about his education and eventually went back to earn his GED.

It was during this time that Charles was introduced, by a mutual friend, to a beautiful young lady named Lillian Maxine Kinter. The two fell hopelessly in love and wanted to marry, however, Charles received his draft notice from the U.S. Army in 1942, and he soon left to serve his country during World War II. Charles received intense training as an airplane and engine mechanic at the Amarillo Army Air Field in Texas, and went on to work on B29s and B24s. After his training was complete, Charles served overseas in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, working in the Air Offensive operations. Upon his honorable discharge, he had earned the rank of Sergeant and earned several medals, including the Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with ten Bronze Stars.

While Charles was away at war, Maxine wrote to him every chance she got and kept herself occupied working in a factory. In the first week of June 1945, Charles came home on leave and he and Maxine were married on June 5, 1945. Thereafter, Charles returned to complete his military service and received his discharge in September of 1945. Once home in Pennsylvania, Charles and his beloved wife, Maxine, settled into married life together in Rural Valley, and soon welcomed the birth of their first child, daughter Cathy. Charles went back to work in the coal mines for a short time before taking a job with ARCO (which later became B.P. Oil), driving a Gasoline truck. This job led the family to move to Johnstown, PA, and it was here that Charles and Maxine completed their family with the births of three more children: Dennis, Shelley and Thomas. After marrying, the couple began attending the Methodist church, which Maxine was brought up in, and they raised their children in this faith.

Besides being a devoted husband and father, and working a full-time job, Charles proudly served his community as a police officer. In the 1960s, he received a Certificate of Attendance from the Law Enforcement Officers Training School, but continued to maintain his education over the years to remain qualified for police work. Charles was also a member and 32nd Degree Mason of the local Masonic Lodge F.&A.M. In 1978, Charles retired from B.P. Oil after 30 years of service, and shortly thereafter, he and Maxine moved to Grand Rapids, where their daughter, Cathy, lived. The rest of their family eventually followed suit and moved to Western Michigan too. Here, Charles and Maxine became members of the First United Methodist Church for many years. Sadly, the couple lost their youngest son, Thomas, in 1980 from a congenital condition.

One of Charles’ favorite pastimes was tinkering with his most prized possession –a Corvair Sedan. He proudly displayed it at car shows and was a member of the Corvair Club. He eventually sold the car, but had many great memories of it. Being retired, Charles also had time to do some woodworking around the house and even built a screened in porch onto their home. In his quieter moments, he enjoyed reading the newspaper, which he did daily, and watched his favorite TV game shows, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. Charles, being a people person, could talk to anyone about anything.

In 2005, Charles’ life was marked by great sorrow when he lost his beloved wife, Maxine, after 60 years of marriage. He continued to live independently at home until he was diagnosed with cancer, and then went to live at Trillium Woods of Faith Hospice, where he passed away.

Honorable, patriotic, respectable and a family man, Charles Schall leaves a legacy of love and dedication for his loved ones with wonderful memories and a strong foundation to look to for comfort. He will be dearly missed.

Charles H. Schall, age 85 of Grand Rapids, MI, passed away Saturday, July 14, 2007. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine, and son, Thomas Schall. Surviving are his children: Cathy and Mel Beam of Grandville, Dennis and Deborah Schall of Caledonia, Shelley Gruich of Muskegon; his grandchildren: Rebecca Kleinbrink, Joel and Shelby Beam, Emily and Troy DeVlieger, Hayley Hansen, 6 great grandchildren; his brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Carol Schall of Farmville, VA; and nieces and nephews.

Funeral and committal services will be held on Tuesday, July 17, at 11 a.m. at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, Alt and Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. N.W., Grand Rapids, with Rev. Gary Haller officiating. Interment will be in Rosedale Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Faith Hospice or the American Cancer Society. Mr. Schall reposes at the funeral chapel where relatives and friends may meet his family on Monday, July 16, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may leave a memory of Charles or sign his online guest book.