Charles G. "Chuck" Mykleby, age 71, of Shorewood, MN, passed away on Monday, October 3, 2011 of complications resulting from mesothelioma.  Chuck was a deeply compassionate, loyal, and loving man who was regarded by his family as the greatest husband, father, grandfather, and friend that anyone could possibly hope for, and he is missed tremendously by everyone who knew him.

Of course, his wife, Nancy Jensen Mykleby (SLP Class of 1959) was his stalwart companion of 52 years and Chuck's "rock and anchor".  Chuck's two sons, Scott and Mark, gave absolutely tremendous eulogies at Chuck's funeral, and extolled the virtues and teachings of their father that gave them important principles of life to live by in their own lives.  Each son is a retired Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corp -- Scott (wife Janice and their children Paul and Keaghlan) of Chesapeake, VA and Mark (wife Lisa and their son Keaton) of Beaufort, SC.  Chuck himself served proudly in the US Navy.  Chuck is also survived by a daughter, Lisa (husband Jim and children Tyler and Anna) of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.  He was able to plan his own funeral, to some extent, and the hymns that were sung, both as a group and as solos, were requested by Chuck.  The last hymn, Eternal Father Strong to Save, certainly speaks volumes about Chuck's love of the sea and the salvation of those lost souls that seek His guidance and respite.

Little known to many of us classmates who attended Chuck's funeral, was his time spent on summer conference events in Colorado, and the love he had for the western lifestyle.  Cowboy boots were Chuck's footwear of choice.  We suspect that if he had not been an elementary teacher and principal he would have chosen a life as a cowboy.  Chuck requested two songs be sung by the church soloist: Heros are Cowboys and Rocky Mountain High.

Chuck was indeed a proud United States Navy Sailor and dedicated career educator, and he demonstrated exemplary courage and unfailing resolve throughout his drawn out struggle against the incurable mesothelioma that ultimately took him from us much too soon.  Apparently, while serving in the Navy, Chuck encountered a workspace in which there was a considerable amount of asbestos present.  Today we know that asbestos is not something to be breathed on a regular basis.  Now, over 40 years later, that early encounter with asbestos led to a diagnosis in 2007 of mesothelioma.  Although he fought the disease with the usual treatments, this terrible cancer made breathing increasingly difficult.  For months Chuck had not only been suffering from the ravages of the disease, but also all of the severe problems associated with chemotherapy.  He fought for every breath up until the end; and he and his family made the decision that Chuck would move to hospice care, which lasted only about two weeks, and as Chuck said, "Let nature take its course."

While in hospice many friends stopped by to chat with Chuck.  From our class Al Thompson visited Chuck for four hours and they shared lunch.  Two years ago Al helped Chuck get in touch with his ancestors in Norway.  Al's cousin is the head of the geneology society in Hamar, Norway.  She found all of his ancestors for him and according to Al that was a good closure for Chuck.  Barb O'Neil Brace also visited Chuck.  In fact Barb spent part of 5 of the last 6 days with him when Chuck was in hospice care.  Barb told us that Chuck was a real "warrior" against the cancerous disease which he fought so hard to rid from his body.  She said, "It was really tough seeing him in that state; to watch him go through the chemo and radiation and not complain was awe inspiring."  Barb and Chuck and Nancy had been friends for years.  Barb had once helped Chuck develop his dance steps so he could impress Nancy.  He was like a brother to Barb.  In the last couple of years he talked to Barb about his fear of the unknown and how he would have to leave his family.  Having to leave Nancy was his biggest sorrow.  Before Chuck and Nancy were married in 1959 Barb told him that if he was not a good husband to Nancy, and if he passed before her, that she would give him an Irish Wake.  That would have been the "kiss of death" and certainly not what a Norwegian Lutheran would have chosen.  Over the years both Chuck and Barb had laughed about that old admonition.   Once in hospice Chuck and Nancy asked Barb to return each day to revive old remembrances.  On her visit on Chuck's last day, Barb and Chuck shared many things that occured over the last few years.  Both of them were avid readers.  Chuck would kid Barb that she loved books the best that were over 1000 pages long.  They had traded books back and forth, sharing many of their favorite authors, and introducing one another to new authors.  From her professional experience as a nurse Barb knew that mesothelioma was not an ending anyone would choose, even in a great, long novel.

Chuck was born near Dalton, MN on the original Mykleby family farm on March 8, 1940 to Adren and Mabel (Fick) Mykleby.  Mabel is still alive at age 96 and attended her son's funeral.    The family left the farm and moved to the Twin Cities in 1951.  Chuck's family settled in the Oak Hill area of St. Louis Park, and he came into our SLP School District at that time.  Chuck enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve at age 17 in 1957 (while still in senior high) and graduated with us in 1958.  He met his high school sweetheart and life-long love Nancy Jensen, whom he married on Oct. 17, 1959, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park.  From 1959 to 1963, Chuck served in the U.S. Navy Reserve as an Aviation Machinist's Mate (ADR rate) while attending the University of Minnesota General College and St. Cloud State University, graduating in the winter of 1963 with a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education.  Upon graduation, he spent the sping of 1963 as a student teacher at Westview Elementary School in Hopkins, teaching at the 6^th grade level.  He interned there under the tutelage and mentoring of his life-long friend Tony Almen.  Following this period of instruction as a student teacher, Chuck went on active duty in the U.S. Navy at Naval Air Station Twin Cities, serving from 1963 - 1966 as an aircraft mechanic working on AD-5 Skyraider and A-4B Skyhawk attack aircraft, and he also earned his Naval Aircrewman wings as a Flight Engineer on P-2 Neptune maritime patrol aircraft.  Chuck really enjoyed his time on active duty in the Navy and he acquired a life-long love of flying and Naval Aviation in particular (his Naval Aviation Callsign was the "Denver Dragon").  He passed this enthusiasm for Naval Aviation on to his sons Scott and Mark, who both served as career active duty Naval Aviators in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Chuck left the U.S. Navy in 1966 as a Petty Officer 2^nd Class (ADR-2 Naval Aircrewman), and he embarked upon his exemplary, highly successful, and rewarding 32-year career as an educator, administrator, athletic coach, and preeminent leader in the Hopkins School District, proudly serving until his ultimate retirement in 1998.  At various times throughout his career in Hopkins, he was a teacher at Westview and Tanglen Elementary Schools, he was the Supervisor of Student Teachers for the Hopkins School District, he served as the Principal at Glen Lake, Alice Smith and Eisenhower Elementary Schools, and he was also an assistant football coach at Lindberg High School.  During these years Chuck also continued to enhance his own personal education, earning an M.S. Degree in Curriculum and Education in 1969 and an M.S. Degree in Education and Administration in 1976.  Chuck was fiercely dedicated to his vocation as an educator, ensuring that all of his students over the years received the best possible academic preparation and his teachers the best possible leadership.  He was well known for imparting upon students and teachers alike invaluable, intangible life lessons such as: "be disciplined; be respectful"; "always put your best efforts into anything that you do"; "if you're not trying your hardest, you're not trying"; "no one owes you anything in this world; to be successful, set your goals, then stick your nose in there and work hard to achieve them"; "it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission"; and perhaps most importantly, "always do the right thing, even when no one is looking".  During his many years in education, Chuck always left his indelible mark on all who encountered him.  Countless students and teachers can point to his exemplary professional conduct, strong work ethic, unmatched teaching and coaching skills, wise mentoring, relentless dedication and unwavering loyalty and friendship as having been positive influences in their lives, and also as having contributed directly to their own individual successes.  All are better people for having known him.  Certainly, it was evident in the eulogies given by Chuck's sons, Scott and Mark, that these lessons of a successful life were remembered as important ingredients in their own upbringing.  Teachers who worked in the schools Chuck principaled also gave similar testimony in their time of sharing at the funeral.

Chuck was an avid hunter and fisherman, and he was always a highly enthusiastic supporter of the Vikings and the Twins, regardless of how they were playing.  He had many great, epic hunting and fishing adventures up in the North Woods with his family and his father-in-law Nick Jensen, and the tales of those unbelievable, never-to-be-repeated events are still told regularly by the family, always accompanied by much laughter and the inevitable shaking of heads.  He was also an enthusiastic coach of youth football, ice hockey, and baseball, and he touched many young lives by volunteering to coach in the Hopkins and Wayzata youth leagues over the years.  He was his children's and grandchildren's number one fan when they were participating in sports, and he could always be found in the first row of bleachers in the football stands, right at the edge of the gymnastics mat, or with his face pressed up against the glass of the ice hockey rink whenever his children or grandchildren were playing.

As a departing admonition for their father, Chucks sons remarked at his funeral as follows: "Keep those wings straight and level, Dad, watch the weather and your fuel, and remember to 'check your six' every now and then.  And as an old Sailor, we know that you'll keep those Marines that are up there guarding the streets in Heaven squared away at all times.  Semper Fidelis."

Therein appears, to those of us uninitiated in military wisdom, proof once again that Chuck Mykleby had given his life for his country, his career to its school children, his deep and abiding love to Nancy and given both of their sons to the Marines, to equally protect this great nation that he loved.  Chuck was buried with full military honors, and a 21-gun salute, in Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on October 11, 2011.