John "Chuck" Ehlers, age 77, of Lake Charles, Louisiana passed away on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Chuck was born July 5, 1947 to Jeanne Marguerite Hill Ehlers and Robert Earl Ehlers at Jackson County Hospital, Moss Point, Mississippi. His father moved the family to Lake Charles after being discharged from WW2 Navy service to seek employment. Chuck attended Central School, Hamilton School, Lake Charles High School and Sowela Technical Community College in Louisiana and later the University of California, San Diego. He first became acquainted with the printing business while working in the printing department at St. Patrick Hospital during the Summer, and after school part time for Curtis and Margie Belles, owners of the Lake Charles Letter Shop.
He entered military service with the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam conflict in February, 1969 and was meritoriously promoted twice, serving until 1971. Chuck moved back to Lake Charles after military service and worked for The Mike Jacobs Office Supply Company as its printing shop manager for six years from 1971 until 1977 when he left to open his own printing company, Lake City Printing, with a partner. He split with that partner 9 years later and opened his wholly owned printing company, Knight Media, Inc. in March of 1986. He has been a member of the Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club and is a lifetime member of the Marine Corps League. His toy collecting interests led him to join the Antique Toy Collectors of America where he and his wife Jan occasionally attended and enjoyed their conventions. Chuck was a longtime member, board member, officer and Silver Medal award recipient of the American Advertising Federation, Lake Charles. For several years he served as a board member, and later president of the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana. He was on the Sowela Craft Advisory Committee for graphic arts for many years. He had also been a member of Printing Industries of America.
Chuck and his company Knight Media, Inc. donated to many non-profit organizations in Southwest Louisiana for more than 30 years and had been named Corporate Patron of the Year and Citizen of the Year by the Mayor’s Council on Art. Immediately after the tragedy of 911, he printed and distributed thousands of American flags and patriotic posters free of charge because no flags were available to purchase. His company designed, printed and donated many pieces including the Lake Charles Sequicentennial poster, City of Lake Charles fire of 1910 poster and others.
Late in life, through DNA testing, Chuck discovered he had an unknown half brother, Thomas Hampton, 4 years older than himself. The half-brother had since passed, but his wife Susan Hampton and children Ginny Lackie (Scott) and Laura were located in Tennessee. He put together a meeting in Texas with these newfound relatives to celebrate their discovery, which included his siblings Susan O’Connor, Sarah Ehlers and Robert Ehlers.
A collector most of his life, he began with stamps and coins when he was younger, graduating to things that just “piqued his interest”. His last and most passionate collecting interest was antique German tin toys dating from 1826 to 1934 and manufactured by the Hess company, located in Nuremberg, Germany. He created a resource website of his collection; www.hesstintoys.com, to share this knowledge with other collectors. He made many toy collecting friends all over the world in the course of his collecting.
Chuck met his wife Jan, while taking country western dance classes and she has been making him laugh, loving him and being his best friend for the last 30 years.
Chuck is preceded in death by his wife, Janis Ryder Ehlers; mother, Jeanne Marguerite Hill Ehlers; Father, Robert Earl Ehlers and half-brother, Thomas Hampton.
He is survived by his sons, Christopher Ehlers and James Ehlers (Fran); daughter, Summer Schmitz (Nick); sisters, Susan O’Connor and Sarah Ehlers (Greg Mahoney); Brother Robert Ehlers (Susie); step-son Christopher Trahan (Cherie); step-daughter Meghan McCormick (Kyle); six grandchildren, Ashley Ehlers McDonald, Brock Schmitz, Landon Schmitz, Colby Trahan, Madison Schmitz and Ryder McCormick; one great granddaughter, Elora Blair McDonald; many nieces and nephews, including his two nieces from his half-brother Tom Hampton, Ginny Lackie and Laura Hampton.
The family will welcome relatives and friends at Hixson Funeral Home of Lake Charles on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 beginning at 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a rosary to be prayed at 6:00 p.m. Visitation will resume on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at the funeral home at 8:00 a.m. until the procession leaves for the church at 10:30 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Consolata Cemetery. The Msgr. Jace Eskind will officiate at the services.
Please leave fond memories for the Ehlers family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com.
