Charles L. “Chuck” Gudakunst
Charles L. “Chuck” Gudakunst, 72, a resident of Columbia City and formerly of rural Churubusco in Noble County, passed away at 6:48 p.m. Saturday, June 6, 2015, at Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home in Fort Wayne. He had entered the hospice home on Thursday evening, but had been in failing health for the past six months.
Mr. Gudakunst was born in Fort Wayne on July 30, 1942, a son of Ervin L. and Evelyn (Melching) Gudakunst, and spent most of his formative years in Allen County. He graduated from Hoagland High School and also did additional education in electronics from Fort Wayne Community Schools.
On Sept. 28, 1963, he was married in Fort Wayne to Sharon S. Burr, and lived in Fort Wayne during the early years of their marriage. They moved to Green Township in Noble County in 1972 from Fort Wayne and lived most of their adult lives there until moving to Columbia City seven years ago.
Employed by Fort Wayne Community Schools for 43 years, he retired in 2007 as their audio visual specialist.
He was a member of the Cornerstone Wesleyan Church in Merriam, where he had served on the church board and had been active in the church’s bus ministry. In his leisure time he enjoyed watching NASCAR, Indiana University basketball, a variety of church activities, and most especially loved and cherished his family. He will always be remembered by his grandchildren as “Grandpa Fix-It.”
The surviving relatives include his wife: Sharon; to whom he was married for over 51 years; his three children: Kim Andorfer, Merriam; Kelly Rosswurm, Fort Wayne; and Kevin (Charity) Gudakunst, Churubusco; a brother: Howard K. Gudakunst, Fort Wayne; a sister: Rita (Mike) Hieber, New Haven; a stepbrother: Wayne (Ann) Rowe, Fort Wayne; a stepsister: Barbara (Joe) Sain, Fort Wayne; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 10, at Cornerstorn Wesleyan Church, Merriam, with Pastors George Cecil and Barry Faucett officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, or one hour prior to the service Wednesday morning.
Interment will be in the Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam.
For those who wish, the family requests memorials be directed to Cornerstone Wesleyan Church, Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home, or the Diabetes Association.