My father-in-law, Chuck Wilkin, passed away just after midnight on Friday, December 14. He was 65 years old. 

Chuck drove himself to the emergency room of Lutheran Hospital  on Friday, December 7, where a CAT scan revealed a tear in his heart. He was rushed into surgery, and underwent an eight-hour operation that lasted until 12:30 that night. Though the operation went very well, Chuck never woke up. He remained on a ventilator and other artificial support for the next six days. 

Early Thursday afternoon, December 13, the surgeon met with the family. A brain scan revealed little or no higher brain activity. The kidneys had shut down, blood pressure was extremely low, and there were other complications. Difficult decisions were made. Chuck finally passed away very peacefully at 12:45 am on Friday. 

The funeral will be held in Fort Wayne, Ind., at the following times:

Sunday, December 16: Viewing 3-8 pm at D.O. McComb & Sons funeral home at 8325 Covington Road in southwest Fort Wayne.

Monday, December 17: Viewing 10-11 am at Anthony Wayne Church of God, 6012 South Bend Drive, Fort Wayne (260-432-3342). The funeral service will be held there at 11 am. Burial will follow the service at the Covington Memorial Gardens cemetery. Don Dennie, the father-in-law of Pam Dennie, will conduct the funeral. The children have determined to keep the funeral casual in dress. 

Chuck served in the US Army from 1965-1967, and spent his career working for International Harvester (later renamed Navistar) in Fort Wayne, Chicago, and Milwaukee. He retired from Navistar in 1993. For seven years he lived in Asheville, N.C., and in 2000 moved to a condo in Fort Wayne. 

Chuck is survived by three children and four siblings:

• Pam Dennie (daughter) lives with her husband, Steve, in Fort Wayne, Ind.
• Jim Mize (son) lives with his wife, Kelly, and four children--Spencer, Kelsey, Trapper, and Levi-- near South Whitley, Ind.
• Jodie Kelly (daughter) lives with her two children, Austin and Logan, in Fort Wayne, Ind.
• Dick Wilkin (brother) and his wife, Barb, live in Findlay, Ohio.
• Jeanne Morgan (sister) and her husband, Joe, live in Van Wert, Ohio.
• Dave Wilkin (brother) and his wife, Elaine, live in Huntington, Ind.
• Carol Penhorwood (sister) and her husband, Marty, live in Evansville, Ind.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any gifts or memorials be sent to the USO (United Service Organizations) or the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute at the Indiana University School of Medicine (Chuck was losing his eyesight).