Remember Chuck; Buy a Brick

loved Geneva. He had been a downtown businessman, worked for the at one time (and had helped in the broadcast booth at Geneva High School football games until the season before his death), was a lieutenant with the Geneva Fire Department and was Geneva’s building commissioner. 

His license plate? “Geneva.” He was beyond ecstatic when he was selected to lead the Geneva Swedish Days parade last June. 

He died just weeks later, on July 12. Memorial contributions were received by, among other entities, the to which he had devoted so much time, commitment and affection. 

Now firefighters are using the donations to create a memorial to Chuck at the Geneva Fire Department’s headquarters station on East Side Drive. A paved area will consist of inscribed bricks donated by members of the fire department, family members, friends, the general public and members of other fire departments. This paved area, with a semi-circular seating wall, will face a bronze fire helmet, atop a stone pedestal with a dedication plaque in honor of Chuck.

And community members—individually, in families or in groups—may purchase the memorial bricks and have them inscribed. An order form is available here.

Orders must be received by Tuesday, May 3. Cost is $50 for a 6-by 6-inch brick and $100 for a 6-by-12-inch brick. The smaller bricks hold up to four lines, with eight characters on each line, while the larger bricks also hold a maximum of four lines, with up to 16 characters in each line.

This spring’s rains have affected progress on the memorial. Firefighters now hope to have the memorial completed by early July. 

It seemed like Chuck knew everybody in town. And his many friends—I count myself and my own family among those lucky people—and of course, his family, miss him every day. I like to think of the people passing by the station on East Side Drive, and being able to wave at him and send a greeting his way.