Charles Traum

Charles Traum lived life by simple rules. Work hard. Marry the right girl. Be a good example for your kids. Help those who need it. Put others first. If it's broken, fix it. Stay true to your roots. Be a good friend. Stay young at heart. Share your love for Jesus. Don't give up. Charles, the son of Charles and Rachel (Shippy) Traum was born on a piece of land outside Durand, IL on August 25, 1936, the same land on which he drew his last breath on October 11, 2025. He married the love of his life, Janice (Sherman) Traum on June 7, 1958, and they raised four kids together. They shared the good times and the tough ones, the joys and disappointments, and they made it work for 67 years. From the time he was a young boy he liked to take things apart and put them together again, fueling his life work of being a mechanic. He worked at Moth & Palmer garage in Pecatonica for 58 years and owned it for the last 28 years it was open. If it was supposed to run and didn't, he could fix it, until they started putting in computers. Even then, he continued working on tractors and lawn mowers and other older vehicles. If anyone, friend or family, had engine problems, Chuck was the one they called. His hobbies revolved around his mechanical interests and included his hit-and-miss engines that he showed at the fair and the steam show as well as other local events. He restored a 1964 Corvair, a Cushman scooter and a Truckster, flew radio-controlled planes, and tinkered with other scooters and engines. His other love was airplanes and he attended the OshKosh airshow faithfully for many years. Repairmen were seldom needed because he could do just about anything, including plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry projects. He wasn't one for sitting still if there was something he could work on, but he would drop what he was doing when he got a call from someone in need, whether it was a flat tire, a dead battery, a furnace that wasn't working or some other crisis. His greatest frustration in these last months was not being able to do the things he used to do. He knew that Jesus walked with him and talked with him and was his friend. He wasn't afraid to share the stories of how Jesus had worked in his life. He was an active member of Community of Christ in Rockford, and served as a Sunday School teacher, youth leader, and priesthood member. When his kids were little, he worked long hours to put food on the table, so there wasn't much time to play, but things were different with the grandkids and great-grands. It wasn't unusual to find him crawling around on the floor with them, joining a good game of throwing rocks in puddles, or going fishing and to airshows together. The kids enjoyed spending time with him because they knew he was one of them at heart. Now that his earthly journey has ended, he leaves his wife, Janice; sons David (Kim) and Derek (Lisa); and daughter Diane Taller to cherish the memories they made with him. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Ryan (Megan) Klikno; Heather (Jeff) Kinney, Kayla Traum (Art Koch) and Brandon (Cassandra) Traum; and Jana (Jhonny) Taller-Copa and Sara (Britani) Nelson; along with his bonus grands, Mike, Dan, and Kris Yeager. His ten great-grandchildren are Peyton, Taylor, and Jordyn Klikno; Hailey, Tucker, and Harper Kinney; Xavier Koch; Christopher and Hunter Traum; and Eithan Taller-Copa. He is also survived by his brother, Jack (Ellen) Traum as well as a host of engine guys and scooter buddies. He was preceded in death by his parents, half-sisters Ardith Leverington and Betty Rumsey, his son Darin, and grandson Michael Traum. Visitation will be held Friday, October 17th from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at McCorkle Funeral Home- Pecatonica Chapel, 203 W. 5th St, Pecatonica, IL. With Charles' celebration of life will be held on Saturday, October 18th at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Chapel Hill in Freeport, IL. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.