Charles E. Tychsen

Charles E. Tychsen Oct. 28, 1922 - Dec. 23, 2014 MISHAWAKA - Charles Ernest "Chuck" Tychsen, age 92, devoted member of the People of Praise community, parishioner of St Pius X, faithful husband, father of 9, career military officer, professor of business, sports aficionado, and raconteur, fortified by the sacraments and surrounded by his children, died peacefully the evening of Dec. 23rd in Mishawaka, IN. He met and married Elizabeth Ann (Bette) Dunlevy in 1944 while serving as an Army Air Corps liaison to the Republic Aviation P-47 Thunderbolt factory in Evansville, IN. The Evansville Dunlevys opened their arms, housing the growing Tychsen family in the years ahead during holidays, summer breaks and military moves. Charles directed the wartime refueling of 8th Fighter Bomber Wing F-80's, Itazuka Air Force Base on the island of Kyushu, Japan (1949-52), earning him among other ribbons the Republic of Korea Presidential Citation. Though he graduated Summa Cum Laude from Princeton University (1943) with a degree in engineering, he found himself ill suited to and unhappy in that work. Aptitude testing at the Johnson O'Connor Foundation suggested that he would be fulfilled teaching. He was. His Air Force career of 28 years became thereafter teaching at officer schools, including the U.S. Air Force Academy (1958-62) in Colorado Springs, CO, and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (1965-68) in Monterey, CA. He retired a Lt. Col. from the Pentagon in 1970 when he became Professor of Business Management, Northern Virginia Community College. An innovative instructor, he devised methods to help struggling students. He retired reluctantly (in 2000) from the 2nd career after another 30 years of teaching. He earned 2 Master's Degrees, an M.B.A., a C.F.P. and a C.P.A. Never shy, he relished debating the most radioactive topics in religion and politics. An indefatigable raconteur, he recollected easily names, places and dates for a mental archive of anecdotes. He was a college sports stats junkie with a fondness for all teams Notre Dame. He and Bette (1922-2012) sowed the seeds of their Catholic faith. Together they opened their hearts and home to the lost and poor spiritual or material. The couple joined the Catholic charismatic movement in the 1970s and (1982) the northern Virginia branch of the People of Praise. They were daily Mass parishioners of St Pius X Church for years following the retirement move to Mishawaka. They claimed as their proudest accomplishment the fruits of a 67 year marriage 9 children: Sandra Tychsen Wayne of Toronto, Canada; MarRay Diane Tychsen (1948-67); Deborah Kelleher of Dayton, OH; M. Lisa Tychsen of Falls Church, VA; Barbara Harp of Grove City, PA; Laurie Magill of Fairfax, VA; Julie Rubio of Fairfax, VA; Kimberly DeCelles of South Bend, IN; and one son, R. Lawrence Tych-sen of St Louis, MO. They leave a faith legacy of 27 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to: Trinity School, 2849 Meadow View Road, Falls Church, VA 22042; or to Trinity School, 107 S. Greenlawn Ave,, South Bend IN 46617. A funeral Mass and honoring at Pius X will be celebrated in January 2015. Palmer Funeral Home-Hickey Chapel, South Bend, is assisting the family.