Reade, Charles 'Chuck' Graydon

Charles “Chuck” Graydon Reade, 90, passed away Saturday, July 27, 2013, in his home. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 31, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 520 Wilson Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, with the Rev. Carol Mart officiating. The family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, at the funeral home and a Masonic service will be held at 7 p.m. Burial will be at Linwood Cemetery, with military rites.

Chuck was born Jan. 25, 1923, in Monticello, Iowa, to Leona Reade. Chuck was adopted and raised by his grandparents, Carrie and Samuel Reade. He graduated from Franklin High School, Cedar Rapids, in 1941. Upon graduation, Chuck was inducted into the United States Army Air Force, 13th Fighter Command and completed his basic training at Camp McQuaid in California. He was later promoted to sergeant and was stationed in the South Pacific, Australia, New Hebrides, Guadalcanal and New Guinea and served in World War II. Chuck worked at H & W Transportation for 20 years and retired from Churchill Trucking as a terminal manager. Chuck also managed the Embassy Club for three years. Chuck married Pearl Dowler in Cedar Rapids and they were married for 52 years and had four sons. Pearl died May 15, 1998. Chuck married Betty Eiler on March 20, 1999, at the El Kahir Shrine Temple in Cedar Rapids.

Chuck and Betty resided part of the year in Cedar Rapids and the other part of the year in Apache Junction, Ariz. Since 1963, Chuck was a member of the El Kahir Shrine, where, as a hospital dad, he made 207 trips to Shrine Hospitals in Chicago and Minneapolis transporting children for medical reasons.

Chuck was a member of Asbury Methodist Church. Chuck was a 52-year member of Mizpah Lodge 639, life member of the VFW and 50-year member of El Kahir Shrine Temple. He was a member of the Vintage Auto Unit. Chuck enjoyed volunteering at the El Kahir Shrine Temple, camping and spending time with his family and friends in Arizona and Iowa. He was also an avid Hawkeye and Cubs fan.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Betty; children, Graydon Reade, DuWayne (Mary) Reade and Tracey (Luci) Reade, all of Cedar Rapids; stepchildren, Barbara Prouty (Kim Bean), Heidi (Rick) Brown and Todd (Tonya) Eiler, all of Cedar Rapids, and Deborah Bedra of Northwood, Ohio. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Vaun Reade, Kim (Kevin) Moses, Dan (Tonya) Reade, Brent (Milaena) Reade, Jeremy Reade, Jen (Mike) Schilling, Kristin Prouty (Brian Lange), Amy Prouty, Jodie (Jason) Houghtaling, David Smith, Richard Smith Jr., Ryan Brown, Zach Brown, Kylie Brown, Bailey Eiler and Marisa Eiler; and many great-grandchildren and cousins. He is also survived by his best friend, Charley, his dog.

He was preceded in death by his mother; grandparents; first wife, Pearl; son, Terry Lynn Reade; and granddaughter, Jennifer Faulkner.

Memorials may be directed to the El Kahir Shrine Endowment Fund in Cedar Rapids.

Please sign the online guest book for Chuck at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Published July 29, 2013 in The Gazette