Charles Harvey Finfrock |
| Posted 2025-05-13 by mhenderson |
| Bradbury Memorial Center - Lake Havasu City, Arizona - Charles Harvey Finfrock Born September 23, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois Died July 19, 2023, in Lake Havasu City, Arizona Charles Harvey Finfrock, aged 78, left his earthly body on July 19, 2023. Chuck, as he was known by all, is now reunited with God, his mother, father, sister, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other relatives who entered the gates of heaven before him. Charles was born on September 23, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents Dorothy (Leonard) Finfrock and Bowen Cass Finfrock. Chuck was a wonderful husband, father, son, sibling, grandfather and friend. He was a good man, provider, and loyal to all who knew and loved him. Chuck always had a joke or story to tell that brightened everyone’s day. He was loved by all who were privileged to know him and if he liked you, you never had to worry that he wouldn’t be around to help you with anything you needed. There were not many people he didn’t like. Chuck's personal mantra was Faith, Family and Football, and he was loyal to all three. Chuck attended grammar schools in Chicago, Illinois, and was a member of the class of 1963, attending high school at Harper High School, in Chicago. He enlisted in the Army along with several of his high school buddies in 1961. He received his GED while in the military, and had many college credits. Chuck was smart and had good, common sense. He was able to think and act simultaneously to get any job done. He could fix anything in and around the house. Chuck’s favorite memories were of his time as a paperboy in Chicago, Illinois, where he learned the responsibilities of a job that he took with him into whatever situation or employment he had both prior to and after his military service to our country. But more than anything, Chuck loved his Chicago Bears football team and was often heard urging them to victory through the television screen. His loyalty to the team never wavered whether they won or lost their games. Chuck, a veteran, was most proud of his military service in the Army and of his time spent in combat during the Vietnam War. He served with the Fourth Infantry, 8th Transportation Battalion, and was in charge of helicopter maintenance. He and his crew members would often fly into enemy territory, strafing the surrounding area with bullets fired from mounted guns on the side of his helicopter before landing to pick up wounded and dying American soldiers and flying them to base hospitals and safety. He often said that an angel was watching out for him as an enemy bullet struck the side of the helicopter a mere six inches away from where he was manning his gun. During his 11 years with the Army, Chuck received the Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal; Air Medal with 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters; Aircraft Crewman Badge; Good Conduct Medal Clamp, Bronze, 1 Loop; and Expert Rifle (M-16) designation. He also received commendations for Marksman (Rifle M1), Letter of Appreciation; Expert (Rifle M14) honors. After receiving an Honorable Discharge from the Army on May 18, 1972, Chuck worked at the DuPage County Airport in DuPage, Illinois. Chuck moved to Tucson, Arizona, to help care for his mother, Dorothy, and father, Bowen. While there, Chuck had a vending machine route. He also sold fire extinguishers in Tucson before moving to Antelope Acres in California. He worked for Northrup-Grumman as a security officer at a top secret test site. He then went to work at the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, as a civilian C-17 crew chief aircraft mechanic for over 20 years, retiring from civilian service in 2005. Chuck provided a home for his mother in Antelope Acres, where she lived with him after the loss of his father and her husband, Bowen. Chuck built a home in Lake Havasu City in 2004, on property purchased by his parents in the early 1960’s to fulfill his promise to build a home, where he and his wife, Kandi, lived until his death. In Lake Havasu, not content with retirement, Chuck worked for the Veterans Administration as a driver, picking up veterans in the surrounding area and taking them to their doctors’ appointments in Lake Havasu City. His last job was at the Yucca Proving Grounds, driving test cars for Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep. In later years, Chuck suffered from exposure to Agent Orange while in Vietnam. From this exposure, Chuck had lung and bladder cancer, and in 2022 was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which took his life. Chuck is survived by his wife, Kandi (Morrow) Finfrock; daughter, April (Finfrock) Wentz; her husband, Scott Wentz; daughter Debbie Krantz; son, Michael Pinto; grandsons Matthew Kowalski and Josh Wentz; great-grandson Jayden Wentz; sister, Virginia (Finfrock) Montoya; brother-in-law, Richard Montoya; brothers Dale Finfrock, Jim (wife Jan) Finfrock, and Henry (wife Peggy) Finfrock; brother-in-law James Rossiter; many cousins, nieces and nephews; stepson, Joshua Jones; stepdaughter, Jaime (Jones) Wolf; sister-in-law, Janice (husband Larry) Balcom; and brother- in-law, Tom (wife Debbie) Morrow. Chuck was preceded in death by his father and mother, Bowen and Dorothy (Leonard) Finfrock; sister, Georgia (Finfrock) Rossiter; son, Daniel Krantz; and sister-in-law, Jan Finfrock. |
Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.
Questions About This Project?