Charles Arthur Vehlow

West Point, 1968

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by James R. Locher III on August 23, 2017:

Like all great men, Charles Arthur "Chuck" Vehlow had both extraordinary achievements and a profound character. By exhibiting these two great pillars of life --- accomplishment and moral virtues, he won our admiration, our respect, and our love. To the outside world, Chuck was a top student, a gifted athlete, a valiant soldier, a proficient and daring pilot, an aeronautics scholar and professor, a senior aerospace executive, and a member of the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame. To those who knew and loved Chuck, he was so much more. His strong moral core contributed to his career successes, but his character traits ensured that Chuck had a rich life. We will always remember Chuck -- not for what he accomplished -- but for whom he was. Chuck was special in some way to each of you, but let me tell you who he was to me. For 53 years, Chuck and I were more than the greatest of friends: We were West Point brothers. At the Academy, we endured hardships and challenges that wiped away pretenses and exposed the true self. I saw who Chuck was at his core: a talented, determined, disciplined, humble, kind-hearted, spiritual, honest, self-sacrificing man. As a cadet so many years ago, I knew I had been blessed to have Chuck as my brother. Today, I know the magnitude of my loss. As a brother, Chuck was a rock. I could always depend on him. No matter how busy Chuck was, no matter how many distractions he had, Chuck never let me down. Even when he was very sick, Chuck insisted on traveling to see me when I was only a little sick. As a brother, Chuck listened from the heart. He was genuinely interested in what I had to say. Chuck talked little about himself. He wanted to know about me and how I was doing. Given his listening and moral strengths, I benefitted so much from our talks. Chuck was so modest and self-effacing, he never told me he had won the Silver Star in Vietnam. I learned of his great award and heroic deeds years later. I was always so proud of Chuck, and I know he was proud of me. As a brother, Chuck was a confidence-builder and encourager. In bad times, he renewed my courage and lifted my spirits. In good times, Chuck rejoiced with me and led the parade. I remember many dark days in the Pentagon when a telephone call with Chuck was just the medicine I needed. As a brother, Chuck was so much fun to be around. He had a great sense of humor and loved to hear and tell stories. He could punctuate his stories with great sound effects and foreign accents. I never tired of hearing the Vehlow version of "Twas the Night before Christmas," complete with German accent. Chuck was full of life and energy and always ready for a new adventure or a party. As a brother, Chuck was a Christian. By living his faith every day, he attracted friends wherever he went. Chuck was a servant leader, giving priority to the needs of those who worked with him. I often told Chuck that he showed the way; I just needed to follow his example in giving and caring. Today, we are holding the memory of our beloved Chuck so dearly. To each of us he was so special, lovingly sharing his God-given gifts, putting our needs first, healing our wounds, lifting our spirits. There is a Cherokee saying, "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." Chuck did live his life in such a way that the world is crying while he is rejoicing in heaven. We will be hearing taps, but he is hearing reveille.

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