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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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