Charles William Shanholtzer

1938 - 2020

Charles William Shanholtzer

Born: January 16, 1938

Died: July 20, 2020

Charles William Shanholtzer was born on January 16, 1938 to Ruth Harlan Shanholtzer and Charles Leroy Shanholtzer, at St. Charles Hospital in Aurora, Illinois.

He was heavily involved in the Boys Scouts and attended summer camps at Camp KaDeKe in Sugar Grove, YMCA Camp Kilbourn on Bear Lake near Bloomingdale MI, and Camp Blackhawk in Buchanan, MI. As an Explorer Scout he attended Philmont Boy Scout Ranch in New Mexico during the summer of 1954. Summers were spent at his parent's cottage on the Fox River in Oswego, where he enjoyed fishing. He remembers spending winters skating on Phillips Park lake.

He lived in Aurora most of his early life attending Young School, Center School, and Jr. High. He was a member of the Aurora Archery Club and rated in the top 10. During high school, he and his good friend Horst (Ron) Konrad, developed a great interest in photography and developing and printing the film. The summers of 54-55 he worked at Lyon Metal Products. Chuck graduated from East Aurora High School in 1956. His parents moved to Ohio the fall of 1956.

He attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana and was the 500th member of Lambda Chi Alpha. During summers in Ohio, he was a lifeguard at Austin Lake, and then was a cook at the Humpty Dumpty in the evening. Continuing his interest in photography, he was President of the Wabash Photography Club, and was the campus photographer for the annual Wabash Caveman Magazine. He did lots of passports photos for students and other people.

While at Wabash, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves and spent part of each summer at Army camp. His unit specialized in German Intelligence and he was trained as a prison of war handler and aerial photo interpreter. After the German unit was dissolved, he was assigned briefly to a Russian Intelligence unit and then transferred to (CIC) as a Specialist. He was honorably discharged in 1963.

Chuck graduated from Wabash College in 1961 with a degree in psychology and a minor in economics. He was employed at Barber-Greene Company. He married Constance Stover in the fall of 1963. Chuck was very active in the Aurora Jaycees, taught Sunday School at Wesley Methodist Church and was Assistant Scout Master of Aurora Troop #23 Nancy Hill School.

Chuck and Connie had three children: Kimberly Jean born in 1964, Charles Kent born in 1967, and Kristine Ruth born in 1971. They moved to Michigan in December of 1964 as Chuck was employed with Delta College in Bay City, Michigan as Administrative Assistant in the Business Office and oversaw payroll, Account Receivables, and Registration Payment and Tuition. In 1967 he became Director of Housing and Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Placement. He taught psychology, archery, and skiing part-time at Delta. Chuck was a member of Bay City Bowman and Saginaw Valley Archery Association.

In 1970, they returned to Aurora, and Chuck took a position with John Hancock Insurance. In 1971 he accepted a position with DuPage College as Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Placement and Student Employment. As a member of the Aurora Jaycees, he served as Hospitality Chair for the Miss Illinois Pageant for three years.

In July of 1974, he accepted a position with Elgin Community College as Director of Financial Aid, Placement, Co-operative Education and Veteran's Affairs. He received his Masters Degree in educational counseling in 1976 from Northern Illinois University. They bought a sailboat and his love of sailing began. In March of 1977, Chuck and Connie divorced.

He married Marilyn Hardt Walters on July 27, 1977 and became step-father to Patty, Khristy, Brian and Kathy Walters. Chuck and Marilyn moved from Batavia to Elgin in 1978. They did a lot of sailing on Lake Michigan in their 27' Northwind sailboat and were members of the Northwest Sailing Association. Chuck served as their Secretary for one year.

While at Elgin Community College he also taught Sailing, Economics, and Psychology in the evening. He was a member of the Midwest College Placement Association, the Illinois Community College Placement and Employers of Illinois Association, the Illinois Association of Financial Aid Officers, the Midwest Association of Financial Aid Officers, and the National Association of Financial Aid Officers.

He authored a computer assisted placement program that was shared throughout Illinois and he received recognition from the Governor of Illinois for his program. Chuck volunteered with the Kane County ESDA from 1988-1993.

He retired in June 1994 from Elgin Community College and he and Marilyn moved to Panama City, Florida to their waterfront home on St. Andrews Bay. They purchased a 22' sailboat "Calypso" and later a pontoon boat. Chuck worked briefly as a grant writer for the City of Lynn Haven, and then opened his own hypnosis office as a Certified Hypnotherapist. He was a member of the Florida Association of Professional Hypnosis and a member and Past President of the Florida Hypnosis Association. Chuck was a ham radio operator and a member and Past President of the Panama City Amateur Radio Club. He also belonged to the American Legion, National Rifle Assoc., and Florida Sheriffs' Assoc.

After a brain bleed in 07/2017 he became an invalid and was cared for by Marilyn in their home until his passing at Bay Medical Center on 07/20/2020. He was just 1 week away from their 43 wedding anniversary.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Hardt Walters Shanholtzer, daughters Kimberly (Jim) Nash of Beloit, WI, Kristine (Bob) Roberts and son C. Kent Shanholtzer of Greenwood, SC, step-children, Patricia (Mike) Carvella of Palm Harbor, Fl, Khristine Woodward of Jim Thorpe, PA, Brian Walters of Frankfort, KY, and Kathryn Underwager of St. Charles, IL. His grandchildren are Brandon (Erin) Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Miranda Shanholtzer, Arianna Winebarger, Danielle Carvella, Molly Underwager, Jessie Woodward, Joseph Woodward, Jenessa (Michael) Pollack, Justin Cannariato; great grandchildren Kolson, Kennett and Elliott Johnson, and Alex, Kellan, and Kinsley Woodward, Nathan Palmer, Carson and Liam Pollack, Natalya Woodward and Avalisse Tappan. His cousins Judy (John) Stone, Jan (Mike) Braun, and Jim Harlan.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Charles and Ruth Harlan Shanholtzer, maternal grandparents Thomas and Opal Harlan, fraternal grandparents, Charles and Edna Miller Shanholtzer, Aunt and Uncle, John and Helen Harlan, and first wife, Constance Stover.

Family services by Conley Funeral Home with burial at the Blackberry Township Cemetery in Elburn, IL were held on July28, 2020.