Charles Wittenberg Obituary

It seems impossible that 15 years have passed since we lost our brother. We think and speak of him often, with love, and often with laughter. May he continue to Rest In Peace.

Judy:

As you know, Tom Laughlin and I were great fans and friends of Chic. What a shock when I received your note this Christmas.



Chic is not easily forgotten--always up-beat, always kind and considerate of others.



I'll miss him greatly!



And while your heart aches (my Pat died 4 years ago), there is consolation in knowing he is in the best place possible.



God bless you.

We extend our deepest condolences to Chic's family and all who knew & loved him. We only had the privilege of a glimpse into his life back between 1989 and 1995 and yet remember him very fondly and often reminisce about him and even his Bouillabaisse recipe.



Tom, Shara, Brandon, Dustin

plus Hans & Annemarie

Chic was a Man among men and always a wonderful person to do business with. We will mever forget the Chile dinners and the trip down the Chache Creek in California.

Lynn,

I remember your Dad, you and your family in my daily rosary.

Charmaine D. Roth

Dear Judy and Lynn,



I send you my deepest condolences for your loss. I remember Chic for his gigantic hugs, his big smile, and his kind compliments for the church garden.



In faith,

Dear Judy and all of Chic's family:

It was with the deepest of regret that I learned of Chic's passing. So many great memories passed instantly through my thoughts. Chic was my first boss in the Reinsurance Division at CAC (aka CNA) in 1962. Chic schooled me in actuarial science and taught me how to conduct myself in a friendly and professional manner in business. He was my mentor and my friend and he never lost touch with me as I moved through my insurance career, eventually moving to Florida, where we would meet for a meal whenever he was in the Sunshine State.

I especially admired and respected Chic for his achievements in managing the annual CNA Reinsurance conference for over ten years. Bill Sahm was the moderator of those conferences and I was fortunate to have shared a warm bond of friendship that Chic, Bill and I have enjoyed all of these years. I told Bill of Chic's passing and he sends his deep sympathies to Judy and the whole Wittenberg family.

I played softball with Chic on the Actuarial Reserves team, and my memories are clear as bell for the fun and glory that we all shared in the many championships that we won. Chic, in spite of his sore knees, was always the star pitcher for the big game. Did we have fun!

Judy, and family, my prayers and thoughts are with you for your loss. All of us are better people for having shared some portion of our life on earth with Chic. Chic will never be forgotten. God surely has prepared a special place for Chic.

Frank and Rita Lake

Judy, Lynn & Bevin,



I am writing this after the memorial service honoring the life of Chic....I have some wonderful memeories of Chic...one in particular when he found out I was going to the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago aka CHIC....He said to me how wonderful you are going to a school named after me...I just had to laugh and shake my head at that....I know how much he will be missed and know that the heavenly residents better watch out when he and my mom meet and start talking about the bible or someother fact...the heavens may not be the same after that....



My deepest regards and sympathy in this time...the first year is the hardest but the memories and laughter he brought to us will never fade....May God support you even more when you find you can't manage on your own...

I was saddened to see the obituary in the newspaper. I am a business friend from the 1960s and 1970s. Chic was a "big guy" in reinsurance at Continental Assurance Company when I started. But most important he was a smart actuary and excellent manager. We had many memories on the softball field playing for the Actuarial Reserves. Chic was our "winning pitcher." We played softball together for many years and had many celebrations.



My deepest sympathies and condolences to Judy and his family.



Chic was a special person in my life.

Dear Judy, Lynn, and Al, - Tony and I are very sorry to hear of your loss. We are remembering your family in our prayers. I have some very warm memories of spending time with your family as a child. I remember all of the sleepovers complete with an ice cream sunday in bed! I also remember the cooking classes. Mostly, I remember all of the love that everybdy shared. I am saddened by your loss and am thankful for the time we had. Please remember that Heaven is a special place and that Chic will forever be with you.

love, Tony, Dee Dee, A.J. Joey and Tommy Tedeschi

We will miss Chic in OPCC. As a charter member, Chic served our choir in many and various ways. His voice in the bass section, his ever present smile, his endless supply of hugs and prayers. He was like a father to us. His financial expertise and wisdom. His leadership abilities including serving on the board of directors, and finance, program and 20th anniversary committees. The countless hours he spent writing budgets and grants. His willingness to be at the Farmers Market bake sales early on Saturday mornings. His joy of cooking was apparent at our many potlucks. Our memories go back many years and include civic symphony, cathedral concerts, European tours, and early music festival events as well as almost twenty-five years of OPCC. One of the last times we saw Chic, Judy and Lynn and Bevin together at OPCC was the Midwinter Party in February 2003. Chic was beaming that night and a few days later we found out why, when Lynn and Bevin were married. We will miss Chic in OPCC.



Our deepest condolences to his family and all who counted him as a friend.

We want to express our sympathy for your loss. We both worked with Chic for a number of years at CNA in Life Reinsurance. Our prayers are with you at this time.

Dear Judy, Lynn & Al:



I shed bitter tears when I got the news of Chic's passing --- he was a friend of nearly 50 years standing.



A BIG MAN with an even bigger heart, who was blessed with many talents which he generously shared with many, many others.



Dottie & I well remember those olden, golden afternoons at the Oak Park Tennis Club with tea, cookies & bridge on the porch ---- watching our children grow up toether.



You have suffered a tragedy of the First Magnitude and you will come through it supported by your own "Trinity": Church, Family, and Music. Our sympathy, thoughts, and prayers are with you during this difficult time.



Sincerely,



Ray Kinzie & family

Lynn & Family,



Sorry to hear about your father's death. I was a pleasure to get to know your parents over the phone when you were in Iraq. I will keep you and your mom in my prayers.

Deepest sympathy to all of you. I was so glad to recently visit with him in June. He was as jolly as he always was; and that's how I remember him. Whenever I eat Salerno Butter cookies (on my fingers of course), I always remember coffee hours in the basement of Good Shepard and him picking me up by the ears.



You are all in my thoughts.



Natalie (Warner) Beglen

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Chic Wittenberg. He was a very good friend, supporter, counselor, advisor and father figure. In addition to his own family, he loved the OPCC family and was a charter member of this organization.



I have had the privilege of knowing Chic and his family for thirty years. We have lived the entire history of OPCC: the hopes and dreams, the festivals of Bach, Mozart, Schütz and Handel, the realization of many tours including two to Europe. His passing, occurring right before opening a new season, brings to mind Victor Hildner's passing. And like Vic, Chic will occupy an important loving memory. He will be keenly missed. I am sure that he will be singing along with us at all our future concerts.



Paul

Lynn & Family,

My deepest, deepest, sympathy at the loss of your dad. My thouhgts and prayers are with you at this sad time.

Sincerely,

Judy,Lynn and Alan:

I am so sorry that I won't be able to be there with all of you to celebrate Chic's life. I'm finding it hard to believe he is not with us,although as I look around my apartment..he is EVERYWHERE in all the comical and musical "toys" that I am so attached to...Judy, I think the two of you must have had as much fun selecting them.. ALMOST as much as I love having them..although I must admit I have a favorite who I named "The Chicken Dance Guy"

My sympathy to all of you,Caroline, and my all of my neices and nephews.

Love,

Aunt Ruth(Isham)

Mayfield Heights,Ohio

I am deeply sorry for your loss.

Sincerely, Catherine Gutman

I feel blessed that I have known Chic. I will always remember his smile, his hugs, and his faith. I pray for the whole family, but especially for you Judy, Lynn, and Bevin, as you deal with your grief.

Judy, Lynn and Al - I'm so sorry for your loss. I'll always remember the family gatherings we had in your house on Oak Park Ave, and ours on Kenilworth. I remember all the wonderful years at Good Shephard. Love to all of you, my prayers are with you. Valarie

Lynn and family -

Sorry to hear about the passing of your father. You and your family are in our prayers.

Love, Jen and Boy

Lynn,

I am sorry to hear of your loss.

Kari

We hope to be with you next weekend to celebrate Chic's new life, walking hand in hand with Jesus, with a perfect body.

God, please watch over Chic now. He was such a great guy; always friendly and curious about life and interested and caring of others. He made others feel good about themselves. I'll miss him.

Dear Lynn,

I am so sorry for your loss. I know your father was a very important part of your life and he will be missed terribly. You have my deepest sympathy.

I will remember Uncle Chic as always having a smile on his face and having a visible joy and enthusiasm for life. Blessings to the family and his closest friends who will miss him dearly.

My prayers are with you. I will miss my dear friend, and I am praying for you during this time. May peace and comfort be with you.

Jen

You always were and will be my great "big" brother. You made me feel special being the youngest. I don't think it has totally sunken in yet that you are gone. I cherish the fact that we spoke the day before you left on your fishing trip. Love, Sis

Just want to add our thoughts and wishes. My last memory of my cousin is his calling me after Hurricane Charlie to check on our welfare....Families care, he said, even when far apart, and we have lost a caring and fine man. The family is together, now and always. Love, Marilyn, Jim, Claire, and Sam

Weren't we all lucky to know him? In my mind he'll forever be connected to lots of laughter, singing, bus rides across Europe and homemade beer. Ric and I send our best to the family - our thoughts are with you.

Dear Lynn and Judy,



A bright light has gone out at Good Shepherd, yet shines all the brighter in the Kingdom of God. I loved Chic so for all his fatherly gifts, for teaching and leading in faith, for prayer as a song of joy, for cooking and feeding both body and soul, for companionship and protection in time of need. I will always remember him as the "dragon at the gate" keeping the nurses in line when I had to go back for the second surgery. The surgery saved my life, and Chic's intervention saved my sanity and brought me back to good health.



If I miss him this much, how can one begin to measure the grief I know you feel. And yet if he was loved this much in God's Kingdom on Earth, how much more must he be loved by the saints now rejoicing with him as he enjoys the Lamb's High Feast.



I will remember Chic always with great thanksgiving, and I remember you now in all my prayers.



Blessings,



Marnie

My deepest sympathy to you, dear ones loved so much by Chic. His hugs, his puns, his cooking, his love of life, his interest in people, his intellectual curiosity, his joy in serving, his faith and faithfulness in the Lord -- what a blessing to us! And what comfort to know that he has victory now in eternal life.

Love, Pastor Susan

Bless this entire community with your peace, oh God.

We miss you Chic,

David & Laurie Stay

Please accept our deepest sympathies on the great loss to the Wittenberg family. He was a wonderful man, who will be sorely missed.



Our thoughts and prayers go to the family.



Anne, Jim, Peter & Charlotte Stahulak

Our deepest sympathy is extended to the family & friends.

~Wayne & Helena

Chicken and french fries will never be the same (even without Perry Mason's show). I wish I had recorded your funny and sometimes terrible poetic responses to my answering machine poems. It's hard to believe you're gone. Hope you liked the special fireworks on Labor Day Weekend. Love, Sister Carol and brother-in/out-law Dick

Please know that my deepest sympathies are with you at this most difficult time. While I never got to meet Chic, he certainly seems like an exceptional man and very well-respected by all who knew him.



My thoughts and prayers are with your family.



Celeste Priebe

(Friend of Lynn)

we miss you dad