Charles Piper Obituary

Piper Jr., Charles Frederick "Charlie" 92, man behind the headlines of the Chicago Sun-Times, jazz record enthusiast, riverbank explorer, patient fisherman, gentle father, large dog lover, non-discriminating chocolate connoisseur, arrowhead collector, humorous grandfather, dogsled dreamer and delightful friend passed away June 7, 2015 in his daughter's home.He is survived by his three children, Paul, Penny and Todd Piper, along with four grandchildren, Jenny, Wendy, Jason, Jordan, and eleven great-grandchildren. Chicago born of Charles Frederick Piper Sr. and Wilhelmina Marenbach, his parents embraced nature and adventure. Editing his school newspaper propelled him into a degree in journalism at Northwestern University, which was disrupted for three years during WWII for service overseas as an interpreter. Charlie and the fiery Winnifred Ketchum, whom he loved dearly and lost too soon, wed, together raising their three children on Harvey Street in Oak Park and countless midwestern camping, canoeing, fishing, backpacking and farming vacations. He worked for the Chicago Daily News, the Chicago American and penultimately for the Chicago Sun-Times. As the night news editor for 41 years, Charlie was unobtrusive but deliciously quick witted, and splashing clever headlines across front pages was his own anonymous wink to the world. A quiet maverick, he ran red lights at 5:00 a.m. and favored bow ties; if the local fishermen recommended Daredevils, he'd use spinners. He had a way with silence and taught us how in stillness the world emerges.With his curiosity and inclination to detail, he'd notice mice tunnels and warblers flitting in the willows before we could, a beaver beneath the cutbank. Relishing the journey, he often walked rather than drove. In this stillness of his absence, we find in ourselves traces of his marvelous presence. Donations may be made to his charity of choice, the Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org.