GRAASKAMP, Charles F., age 79

Died: Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

Visitation: 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 13 at the funeral home

Memorial Service: 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 14, 2013 at Christ Church Cathedral with the Very Reverend Michael Greene officiating

Interment: Forest Hill Cemetery, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to either the YMCA, the Eau Claire Community Foundation, or the L. E. Phillips Library Literacy Program

Charles F. Graaskamp, age 79, of Eau Claire passed away on Tuesday, October 8, 2013 surrounded by his family at home after battling cancer.

Charles was born on January 14, 1934 to the late Lester and Dorothy (Fiske) Graaskamp in Evanston, Illinois. He attended elementary school in Evanston. The family moved to New York where he attended Hackley Boarding School in Tarrytown. He graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York with a degree in History and Political Science. Following college, he enlisted in the Navy Officer's Candidate School in New Port, Rhode Island. He was able to see the world being stationed out of Valeo, CA on the destroyer USS Agerholm.

On March 8, 1958, he married Joanne Stearns at St. Joseph of Arimathea Episcopal Church in Elmsford, New York. In 1959, he and Joanne moved to Eau Claire where he started working for the Atkinson/Graaskamp owned newspaper as the Classified Advertising Manager of the Eau Claire Leader. He was named Publisher in 1981. After 42 years of service to the Eau Claire Press Company, he retired as President/Publisher in 2001. 

He was a past president and member of both the Wisconsin Newspaper Association and the Eau Claire Community Foundation where he established an Acorn Fund for literacy. He also served as a board member of the Eau Claire YMCA and Eau Claire United Way. Charles was a very active supporter of the L. E. Phillips Public Library and Literacy Program. He was a founding member of TEC 36 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and active member of the Eau Claire Jaycees.

He and Joanne traveled the world with the Inland Press Association seeing sights in China, Kenya and Eastern Europe to name a few. He also enjoyed many fishing trips with fellow publishers to Newfoundland, Kodiak, Alaska, and Canada.

Charles loved competitive sports, especially racquet sports: tennis, paddleball, and racquetball. He also enjoyed a round of golf or a game of softball. 

He was a member of Christ Church Cathedral for over fifty years and served as a lector. 

Above all, Charley loved his family. He spent his summers up at the cottage sipping coffee while doing the New York Times Crossword in pen, playing cards or croquet, and enjoying a rambunctious game of after dinner S-P-U-D. His favorite activity of all was teaching his kids and grandkids how to sail like a true pirate. With the Jolly Roger flying, Charley would flash his swarthy grin, and we would know. Our beloved father and grandfather was a pirate with a golden heart. 

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Joanne; daughter, Carolyn (Mike) Carlson of Eau Claire; sons, Dan (Mary) Graaskamp of Eau Claire, Pieter (Julie) Graaskamp of Eleva; grandchildren, Sara, Catie, and Emily Carlson, Charley, Sam and Molly Graaskamp, Nathan and Anna Graaskamp; brother, John (Vicki) Graaskamp of Eau Claire; nieces and nephews, Garret (Nancy) Graaskamp, Dorothy Graaskamp, and Martha (Pat) Testerman, Jill (Jonathan) King, Jack (Dawn) Davis, and Kim Graaskamp (widow of Jim); many other family and friends.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents and his nephew, Jim Graaskamp.