Charles O. Von Essen

Charles O. Von Essen Charles O. Von Essen passed away at home on June 24, 2014, at the age of 79. He was born in Springdale, Arkansas on August 14, 1934 to the parents of Lucy Brown and Otto Von Essen. After a couple years they moved to Yakima and bought an orchard where he grew up. He was the 4th of 5 children, Harry Schmidt, Teresa Greiner, Alice Beattiger and Jim Von Essen. He was an Eagle Scout and attended Marquette High. He met his first love, Marlene St. Mars at a high school dance and courted her in Toppenish. He played football even though he would have to walk or hitch hike home. He attended Yakima Valley Junior College and married Marlene on May 5, 1956, before the Army sent him to Germany where he was a surveyor. Upon returning to Yakima he started a family that ended up to be 6 children: Debra, Denise, Jeff, Doug, Phillip and Chuck Jr. He was an inspector for the USDA in fruits and vegetables for 10 years before he was transferred to Wenatchee as a supervisor. His pride and joy was watching his children play sports and he never missed a game of football, basketball or baseball. He was a successful Little League coach with his sons on his team. After the kids were raised he announced for the high school baseball teams including All Star games. He ran the score clock at ball games at WVCC and always kept up with the Mariners. After retirement he worked at the Nogales border as a fruit inspector. He so loved the Arizona life he became a snowbird. After 43 years of marriage, in 1999, his wife died and the next year he met and married Pat Durand. During the 14 years of their married life they enjoyed Mesa, Arizona and East Wenatchee and the many trips they took including Niagara Falls, Australia, Hawaii, and the Galapagos Islands. Chuck loved the flora and fauna everywhere he went and loved talking and visiting with old friends and new ones he met. He loved crabbing on the coast with his family, growing tomatoes and cucumbers up north and oranges and grapefruit down south. He played shuffleboard and was the league president and earned a bronze medal at the 2008 Washington Senior Games. He and Pat were involved in many clubhouse events in their park at Mesa. Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, Marlene, daughter Debra and son Phillip. He is survived by his wife, Pat, and children: daughter, Denise Smith and husband Chris-grandchildren Kiel, Stryker, Blaze and Tenika; son, Jeff Von Essen and wife Tamara and granddaughters Kristina and Stephanie; son, Doug Von Essen and wife Sonja and granddaughters Lacey Kniepp, Kayla Clark and great grandsons, Kohbey and Tysen, and son Chuck Jr. Step-daughters Dana Lee and husband John, grandchildren Josh and wife Jackie, and Kiersten, Karin Sandidge and grandchildren Casey and Aubyn Honeysett, and Milena Sandidge. A funeral will be held Thursday, July 3, 2014 at 11 am at Holy Apostles Catholic Church in East Wenatchee with interment following at Evergreen Memorial Park. Visitation will be held from 4-7 pm on Wednesday, July 2 at Jones & Jones ~ Betts Memorial Chapel. Please express your thoughts and memories on the online guest book at jonesjonesbetts.com. Arrangements are by Jones & Jones-Betts Funeral Home.

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Charles O. Von Essen

August 14, 1934 - June 25, 2014