Charlie (to friends and colleagues)/Chuck (to family) was born in Evanston, Illinois on March 28, 1928, the youngest child of Wesley and Margaret (nee Carney) Johnson. His early years in Evanston were spent enjoying the “ladies” (he was kicked out of kindergarten for kissing a girl), playing basketball and hanging out with his older sister Mary Kay and their childhood friend, Dody. Chuck excelled in school, graduating at age 17 from Evanston Township High School in the spring of 1945.
Too young to enlist for military service, he enrolled at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania where he majored in history, joined the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI), and was selected Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated cum laude in 1949. That summer, while working as a pot-washer at Brown’s Lake Resort in southern Wisconsin, he met the love of his life, Marion Retzinger. During their 4-year courtship, Chuck attended Northwestern Law School, graduating in 1952. Shortly after graduation Chuck accepted a commission as a first lieutenant in the US Army’s Judge Advocate General Corps.
Chuck and Marion wed December 19, 1953, and remained married until his death in 2015 (just shy of 62 years!). At Marion’s 80th birthday party he remarked, “I just knew she was the one for me”. Only weeks after getting married, Chuck was deployed to South Korea, serving approximately 15 months overseas. He was active duty military until 1955, and remained in the reserves until 1960.
Chuck’s first civilian job was as an associate with Kirkland, Ellis, Hodson, Chaffetz & Masters, a prestigious law firm in Chicago. Yet by 1960 Chuck and Marion, now the proud parents of infant daughter Rebecca, had tired of Chicago winters and decided to move to sunny Denver, Colorado. Chuck’s first job in Denver was at the law firm of Yegge, Hall, Treece & Evans. During this period he became a father three more times (Therese 1962, Daniel 1963 and Sara 1966). In the early 1970’s Chuck briefly partnered with Ranger Rogers to form an independent law practice, but ultimately rejoined Jim Treece, then US District Attorney in Denver, as an Assistant US District Attorney from 1972 to 1976. He worked as senior trial counsel for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad from 1977 until his retirement in 1986. Chuck was a member of the Colorado, Utah and California Bar Associations and successfully defended DRGW many times. His courtroom persona was very different (boisterous and theatrical) from the quiet man we knew and loved at home. His playful side was most apparent when reading to his children (Manners Can Be Fun… the all-time favorite) and while watching his beloved Denver Broncos. He was a savvy bridge player, winning often in the monthly bridge group. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, Chuck spent many a weekend hiking or cross-country skiing with Marion and their close friends/neighbors, George and Arlene Readio.
Retirement was at first difficult, but Chuck eventually embraced his free time after so many years of hard work as a successful trial attorney, and spent much of his later years traveling with Marion. Together they visited Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Hawaii, Alaska and Costa Rica, as well as numerous destinations in the continental US. He enjoyed spending time with his nine very active grandchildren (Charlie, Claire, Wesley, Nat, Ryan, Nick, Allie, Sam and Luke) and over the years attended many birthday parties, concerts, plays, sporting events, and graduations.
We will always remember Chuck for the song in his heart… he whistled and hummed daily… his favorite being Impossible Dream from the musical Man from LaMancha, and for his very dry sense of humor. He loved ice cream and licorice and beer, and rarely passed up a visit to a zoo, a mine or a cave. And of course, in later years, a gambling trip to Central City served as his annual pilgrimage! We miss him everyday.
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