Charles de la Chapelle '45

Charles de la Chapelle '45 died February 7, 2010.
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CHARLES de La CHAPELLE ’45

            Charles de La Chapelle was born in Chicago, Ill., April 20, 1922, to Jeanette and Jacques de La Chapelle and died Feb. 7, 2010. He attended Portsmouth Abby Priory, R.I., and, after graduation, entered Amherst College along with friends Bob Glennon, George Skakel and Bill Jantzen, all of whom joined the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

            Charlie was a quiet person with a friendly smile. He played freshman football and was known for his booming spiral punts, which drew looks of admiration from his teammates.

            He left college in 1942, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a dive bomber pilot in the Pacific Theater of Operations during WWII.

            Following the war, he continued his education at the University of Iowa and decided on a career in agriculture. He headed west, purchased land in Yakima Valley and grew apples and pears. He loved hard work and was known for taking care of those who worked for him.

            Charlie was the first chairman of Yakima Clean Air Authority. He was a founding member of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and a lifelong member of the Washington State Horticultural Association.

            He married Carol Anne Gilbert in 1952, with whom he had five children: Catherine Allan; Charles, Jr.; Rene Hough; Jacqueline Hansmann; and Johanna Cable. He is survived by his wife, five children, two sisters, nine grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

            Charlie’s greatest joy was his family and his many friends. They all will miss this man who was so thoughtful and kind to those lives he touched.

—Jack Deady ’45