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View a eulogy for Charles William Profilet, USMA '58, who passed away on November 13, 2004.

Charles William Profilet

West Point, 1958

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Heyward Hutson on November 23, 2004:

Dear Classmates:

This letter is to reinforce the report that Clark Bailey and others may have sent
out to the Class regarding the celebration of the life of our classmate and friend
Chuck Profilet. I am so glad that Clark and Phyllis Bailey, Jack and Arlene
Halsey and I were able to be there to support Sandra and the Profilet family.
Most of our class have not been aware of the traumatic roller coaster Chuck and
Sandra have been on for sometime. It began awhile back with a heart attack
Chuck incurred while he and Sandra were traveling in Charlotte, NC. More
recently while Chuck was hospitalized in intensive care in March of this year,
Sandra's mother died in Mississippi. She could not attend her mother's funeral.
Their two sons Chuck and David took care of the funeral arrangements while
Sandra remained at Chuck's side in Florida. Between March and November
2004, Sandra had to have thyroid cancer surgery and Chuck underwent
treatment for colon cancer. We can only respect and admire the bravery shown
by the entire Profilet family. Like many of our classmates, spouses and families
who have faced challenging situations, the Profilet family has set a wonderful
example for us. Clark Bailey and Sam Myers did a great job of assisting the
family and many classmates sent messages that were read at the funeral
service. I offered to speak at the funeral and Sandra, and sons Chuck and David
were pleased to have me represent the Class and especially the E-1 friends.
Classmates who have attended the mini-reunions have gotten to know Chuck
and Sandra better. The mini-reunions have definitely brought us closer together.
I have been urged to provide information for an obituary so I am going to share
with you what I said in our behalf at the funeral. The 600 mile trip down I-95
from South Carolina to Florida gave me time to think about Chuck's life and our
bond with him. The words which flowed from my mouth came from the source of
all our gifts so if you find some appropriate thoughts or references that you like,
feel free to use them as your own for the benefit of others. Our eulogy follows:

Sandra, Chuck, David, Anne, Madeline and Claire and members of the Profilet
family, thank you for letting me honor our friend of 50 years on behalf of all his
West Point brothers who wanted to be here today but could not. Our friendship
began as plebes at West Point in 1954.

West Point had a profound impact not only on us but on those who served with
us and on our families as well. I want to make some observations to help you to
understand how special Charles William Profilet was and to paint a more
complete picture in the celebration of his life.

Chuck was the 21,917th graduate of West Point from 1802 to 1958. That puts
him in a small and elite group because most large universities have that number
on campus every year. It took West Point 156 years to graduate 22,000 cadets.

Let me read Chuck's biography from the 1958 Howitzer:

Charlie came to us from Mississippi and diligently applied himself to cadet life.
Although many hours were spent in the pad, writing letters (to Sandra, of
course), and in being the company prankster, he always stayed ahead of the
game and every now and then his name was found on the Dean's List. Charlie
was always willing to help anyone in any way that he could, and this
over-generous spirit will make him an outstanding officer, as it has made him an
outstanding classmate.

Note that he was credited with being the Company prankster. Translated that
means he had a great sense of humor. It was so tough at West Point 50 years
ago, we needed some levity. I was the victim of one of the conspiracies hatched
in the room of Profilet, Barnes and Slater.

Chuck was a rebel from Mississippi with a sweetheart back there. Walt Barnes
and Stan Slater were street smart New Yorkers. Stan was on the football team.
When it came to girls, they were all squared away. Mysteriously, I started getting
lots of letters and offers from the lovelorn. I think my name and address had
been placed in Dorothea Dix's column.

Now, who was I to thank for such thoughtfulness? For all these letters from
middle-aged women to a 19 year old cadet? Well, of course, I had to repay this
kindness. So, mysteriously, lots of catalogues on how to buy and grow roses
and other flowers started arriving at the room of the tough talking rebel from
Mississippi and the football player. We were not malicious but we knew how to
rib each other.

Chuck was intelligent because, as noted in his biography, he frequently made
the Dean's List. I believe that he probably gave a lot of help to his roommates
because they all went into the Air Force. Chuck also was on the Staff and
Faculty of the Air Force Academy for four years in the Department of Civil
Engineering.

Chuck was a loving and caring person especially for his wife, family and friends.
His romance with Sandra lasted for 52 years from high school through West
Point, military and civilian careers for his entire life. Few couples have enjoyed
such a loving and enduring relationship. They were soul mates from the
beginning.

Chuck called me before our class reunion in October because he heard that my
wife and I had medical problems and could not attend. When I heard his voice I
regretted that I had not called him first because I knew his medical problems
were much greater than ours. We talked for a very long time. I am so happy to
have had that conversation with him because we ended the call with both saying
"I love you." I highly recommend it as a habit.

When I was arriving here yesterday, I got a call from my roommate at West Point
Ray Tomlinson who has also had some serious surgeries and treatments. He
told about his telephone conversation with Chuck three weeks ago. Chuck told
him: "You've got to be a fighter."

Chuck was a brave man in the way that he dealt with his medical problems and
was always upbeat. In Rudyard Kipling's poem If, he says: "If you can meet with
triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors the same," and further "if you
can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are
gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to
them: Hold on!...Yours is the earth and everything that's in it, and -which is
more-you'll be a Man, my son." Rudyard Kipling died in 1936, the year that
Chuck and I were born.

Chuck was an outstanding and dedicated officer. He flew the B-47 and B-52
bombers that helped to win the Cold War. Those B-52 bombers were part of the
Triad of Strategic Forces that ultimately allowed President Reagan to say: "Mr.
Gorbachev, tear down that wall." He received the BSM and MSMs for his
service to his country.

Chuck was a Godly man. Attendance at Chapel services was mandatory at
West Point when we were cadets. Sunday School was not. Chuck taught
Sunday School. He knew enough about the Bible to teach others. I've been in
Disciple Bible Study for over two years and I don?t feel qualified to teach it.

In Chapter 5, Verse 16 of St. Matthew, in the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord
says: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Chuck did that - through his good sense of humor, his consideration for others,
his duties well performed, his enduring commitment and love for his wife, family,
and friends, which was Jesus Christ's First Commandment to love each other.
He was a good human being. All of which leads me to believe that he was surely
committed to accepting the grace of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.

From the last verse of our Alma Mater: "And when our work is done, Our course
on earth is run, May it be said, "Well done; be thou at peace." E'er may that line
of grey Increase from day to day, Live, serve, and die, we pray, West Point, for
thee."

Sandra, David, Chuck, Anne, Madeline, Claire, and the family of Charles William
Profilet, we say to you: "Pop up your chests and look proud."

To our friend and comrade, we say: "Well done, Be thou at peace."

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