chuck

 Cousin Chuck

In Litchfield we had the Leroy Christenson, George Christenson, & Pete Foss families.  We all had ten children, went to St. Philip’s Catholic Church, and were of Irish heritage.  Therefore, most of us were in a class with one of these cousins.

 

Chuck was in the class of ’51 with my brother John Foss.  They played football together. Last year Chuck sent me a copy from the 55 year old news in the Litchfield Independent.

“Controversial Grid Finish:  Chuck Christenson plunged over the middle for a touchdown.  The official ruled no score and there were only two seconds left.  Fritz Koerner tried a quarterback sneak, but fumbled, and John Foss recovered the ball at a spot he said was in the end zone.  Again the officials disagreed.  Benson won the game 19-14 and the Litchfield Dragons were denied the West Central Conference championship.  Only the appearance of police officers prevented a serious disorder on the field.”

When I shared this with John he remembered every minute of the game and how they were cheated out of the championship….55 years later.

 

Yes, Chuck was a great sportsman.  I was the younger Foss sister, so I did not always remember the High School events.  But I do know that Merle and I often met Chuck at many athletic events in St. Cloud, including Cathedral girl’s basketball, SCSU basketball,

Litchfield state championship games, the Johnnie basketball games and of course the St. John’s football games!  Chuck always knew the players, the game plays and had interesting comments to make throughout the game.  I found it interesting that Chuck died on the 17^th of January in the AM and that the huge rival basketball game at St. John’s against St. Thomas was that evening too.  The Johnnies won in the last minute with three key free throws to edge the Tommies.  You can be sure Chuck had something to do with that from up above.  Chuck was also a great pool player, a golfer and a fisherman.

 

In Chuck I saw a man with a huge heart when I witnessed him visiting sick people.  He befriended not only his family from AA but also friends and relatives who were lonely or had a terminal illness. Many times he visited his sister Dorothy and followed her to the Mayo Clinic.  He did the same for his brother Jerry, making trips to St. Paul and accompanying him to the Mayo Clinic.  Chuck would tell me that when he took Aunt Tess to mass and out to eat, he really enjoyed going back to her apartment to visit and have a Dove ice cream bar, which he loved but rarely bought. 

 

I always think of Chuck with that quick smile and twinkle in his eye.  He had a great sense of humor. He always had an opinion whether you agreed with him or not.  Merle and I will miss him at the St. John’s football games and especially at the family gathering at our place after the Homecoming games.  Oh the stories that they could tell.

 

Chuck was a devote Catholic, often attending daily Mass.  May you rest in peace, Chuck, having “arrived half an hour before the devil knew you were dead” and” may God hold your family in the palm of his hand.” (Old Irish proverbs)

 

Merle & Claire Foss Bauer (1-18-2007)

Claire Bauer
mcbauer@mywdo.com