Charles Joseph Kantmann

Chuck or Poopsie is what I usually called you. Dr. Kantmann was another pet name if I had a question which you always had an answer for. It seems you had so many different pet names for people, especially "precious". Your list of friends was never ending, and I feel fortunate to have been on that list. What a pleasure to work with at IBM. You are greatly missed at our Tuesday morning breakfast. I wished your mission here on earth hadn't ended so soon but guess God needed your smile, your jokes, your stories, your chuckles and wonderful personality. Something that is very much missed. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your wonderful family. We miss you "precious". (Yes Katherine, he called me "precious" also.)
RIP, xox

God now has one of the coolest and nicest person that I have ever known at his side. I was shocked when I heard the news last night. God bless him and his family.

CJ,
You are the only person that I have known that could meet so many strangers and walk away with life long friends and extended family. I will miss your phone calls that always started with hello precious are you naked. You have my love now and forever. I'm a better person for having you as a brother in law and friend. I'll see you again, so behave youself untill we meet again.

I could write a book about Charles(not Chuck or CJ then) when we were best friends from 1953 to 1957, the year DuPont transferred my Dad to a plant in South Carolina that made atomic bombs 24/7. It was strange to go to segregated schools after Terre Haute.

Charles taught me the facts of life in the empty bleachers of a ball field. We only lived a few blocks apart but he was north of US 40 and I was south of it. North was blue collar and south was white collar. In those days in Terre Haute, race and class meant nothing.

From what I've read and know, Charles continued to live a life of midwestern values...don't lie, cheat or steal.

RIP my friend.

I'm sorry you had to leave so soon. I remember so well all your effort to track down our lost luggage in 1990, your loud laughter and 'wasa husman'.. Kindest regards

CJ is missed by all Edstroms and also many other svenska personer.
And Wasa Husman has lost a hard bread fan.

Dear CJ, one of my Dads, my Friend and my best friend's Father in law. The affection of Your noble personality is worldwide and will never be forgotten. Ride On, Sir! See You later. Din liten pojke, Heikki.

CJ was related to me by marriage, my sister was married to Mary Anne's brother. At all family gatherings or both families CJ was the life of the party. One day he decided to swap sisters and for about the last five years I received a card "As his sister" on May 13th. This year the card did not arrive, but I'll always feel it has when I remember him every May and all the other days in between. Thanks for being a great brother in law to my sister, and uncle to my niece and nephew and Best Party Member to all of us. Love, Cookie & Ray

I only met you once (while staying with Adrienne and Vesa). You were lovely and funny. I was in the middle of a bad MS attack, and I remember how kind you were to me. The fact that you raised a family who are also lovely, funny, and kind is a great testament to you.

Dear Chuck.
I will alwasy remember the fun
times we talked at building 88, 97,
STL, etc and when you stopped your Harley on St. Teresa Blvd when I was biking to Morgan Hill to chat. You always kept me up to date on
where the IBM MVS folks were!
You will be sorely missed by all the
IBM team as well as your family.

Chuck, your big smiles will be missed by many. Our prayers and thoughts are with you as you ride off into the wild blue yonder. Rick & Rita Kahil

I got to know Chuck in the early '80's at IBM. We worked together for a number of years. As time went on we got to know each other better and he started calling me "Rod the Clod" and I was calling him "Chickie Poo".
This went on for almost 30 years.
Chuckie was a great friend and I will truly miss him.

Rod Cordell

C.J. called me precious for many years, and a few years ago, I started passing it on. To those who read this, please continue the tradition. Someday someone may greet you with "precious" and you'll know that C.J. lives on.
Good bye "precious" I love you,
your brother (brother in law)
Paul Siebert

It is beyond belief that he is gone. He will be in our prayers. He was the only man I ever met that was a menber of the parish councel before
he was a catholic. No Katherine, he called me precious, too.

Diane and I Just returned from a 3 week vacation... we're still absorbing the shock of the demise of a great friend and beautiful person.

Sure miss you Chuck. Miss working with you in that little cube, you dishing out jokes and insults daily to your followers and them loving it. Us tooling over to Starbucks in your little porsche. U da man, ride on. xox,

I can't find words to say. You were my friend and my mentor for many years. You were like a brother to me and I will miss you terribly. My prayers are with you and your family.

Chuck you will be missed.

Chuck
You were called home way too soon, but your death reminds us that we can all be called home without notice. I praise God that your life touched mine for I am better for it. May the peace of the Lord be with your family at this time.

I'm sorry you were called home early. I regarded you as a special business colleague and friend. Your warmth, sincerity and humor were very special to me. You are the only person that could harass me in church and make God smile. I will miss seeing you in the front row of Saint Catherine's Church. I know you are now riding with the Angels.

Riding High Up in the Sky...
You have gone to soon but atleast you went your way.
I have been blessed to have known you for 42 years. Thank You for being you and for helping me become me! u did god!
XOX0 your goddaughter,
Lisa Courier Ruffner

Chuck, your unfailing positive outlook and good humor made you a ray of sunshine in a drab world. Ride on with Hal Remspear. I'll see you later.

Aw, Chuck, you very kind and very funny guy! Even our dogs smiled when you came to visit us. We sure are missing you...

Chuck was a truly dear frirnd of mine.We snowmobiled in the Seirras, breakfast with the IBM gang, stopped by Cannon Falls on his summer cycle trips. We exchanged emails He was a very positive guy. I will miss him It was s shock that God called him home.

Knowing full well that I was working late at IBM, who else but Chuck—with Mary Ann in tow—would show up at my house, announcing to my unsuspecting wife that they were 'there for the party'? Such was Chuck's indifference to 'societal norms', and I was always jealous of his ability to live life on his on terms...including this final ride.

You were unique and one of the sweet ones. Gonna miss you a lot

I truly enjoyed your friendship and loved to make you laugh. You had the greatest laugh, and I can still hear it. You will be sorrowfully missed; my friend.

We're going to miss you big guy, but it seems at least that you went out doing what you love. Thanks for all your humor - who else could fill up a petition at Bay to Breakers for saving the Naugas from the proliferation of Naugahyde. You did.

I'm a community radio deejay - that means I don't get paid for it - but I can play whatever I want. Check it out at www.kvmr.org, around 8:30 AM Saturday May 10, from wherever you are CJ, and listen in live to hear a few tunes for you.

Chuck -
Thanks for showing me how to shake walnut trees ;-))
Ya went out doin what ya wanted to do -
The rest of us should be so lucky.
Cheers,
Ed Thelen

Ride that bike thru the sky!! Rack them pipes and wake the universe up! Sorry you had to leave, but then, it isn't if, its how and when and we all get a turn!

See you down the road!

"On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again, its been a long time since I've been with my friends........."

I rode a PGR mission Monday with my rear pegs down so you could ride along!

Precious ( I don't know how I got that name...)

Bill (Cranky) Snodgrass
ALR PGR VROC FCRC

Dear Chuck, was it only me that you called "Precious"? It sure felt that way but then you could have called me just about anything and like everyone else, I would have heard the friendship and affection in your voice. You are an honor to the human race and will be deeply missed.

Hey UCJ - Dagnabbit!! What'd you go and do that for?? I will miss all your goofy emails, your wacky spelling, your warm smiles and great big hugs...but most of all I will just plain miss you. Your were and always will be my favorite uncle and one and only solemnizer. luv U!

Chuck and my dad had so much fun together and I'm thankful to have shared some of those great times. I will miss his radiant smile and the love of life he embodied, his openness and willingness to participate wholeheartedly in life. Much love to all his friends and family.

Chuck, you were one of the coolest dudes at IBM. Ride forever...

Chuck was my friend. He was taken from us too soon.

Your friends and classmates of Wiley High School class of 1961 will miss you. Friendships during high school days are not soon forgotten. Thanks for all the wonderful e-mails.

Chuck was a true friend. Our world is a better place because he was here. My heart and prayers go out to his family and his many friends... Gym

Ride on friend. All the smiles you gave are sad to see you leave.

Ahhh, cowboy, we'll miss you!