Charles 'Chuck' McCarthy, 87

In Love, Honor and Gratitude we’d like to share our remembrance of Charles “Chuck” McCarthy, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather and friend to many who passed on April 13, 2016.

Chuck was born on Nov. 2, 1928, in Chicago, Ill., to Helen and Charles McCarthy. Chuck was the middle child of three children, older brother Warren and younger sister Joyce.

Chuck joined the U.S. Army in 1947 and received an honorable discharge in 1948. He instructed personnel in the preparation and maintenance of Army Administration aboard U.S. Army transports operating between California and China.

Chuck met his true love, best friend and soul mate, Shirley Davis, on a blind date in 1948. They were married a year later on Nov. 26, 1949, in Southern California. They have five children, 13 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Chuck and Shirley and their five children lived in Southern California until 1968 when they moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They, along with Shirley’s brother and sister-in-law, Gomer and Bonnie Davis, owned and operated Lil’ Bear Drive-in located in Hayden Lake, Idaho, until 1993 when they sold the business. In addition to running Lil’ Bear Drive-in, Chuck was a deputy sheriff for Kootenai County in 1969 for a few years and then a police officer for the city of Hayden Lake. He also served briefly as a bailiff for Kootenai County in the late ’70s before working for the Kootenai County Clerk’s Office.

Despite becoming an orphan at age 2, Chuck exemplified a life of what a loving father can be. He never allowed bitterness into his heart, a heart that always expressed his love for his children. He always had a good joke to share and was able to bring laughter to everyone who met him. Children and animals always felt his warmth and seemed to gravitate to him. Chuck and Shirley provided their children with countless happy memories of boating, water skiing and camping. They’d load up the station wagon, attach the boat and head for places like the Back Bay at Newport Beach, Bass Lake, Clear Lake, Lake Tahoe and Perris — happy times!

Chuck is survived by his wife, Shirley; his children, Deborah (Grant) Hillen, Trudy (Bill) Beamer, David (Cathy) McCarthy, Jennifer (Tom) Poirier and Daryl McCarthy; his grandchildren, Naomi McKinnon, Noah Hillen, Alisha Killian, Ryan Beamer, Amanda McCarthy, Katrina Cline, Joseph McCarthy, Caleb Harms, Alex Harms, Jessica Poirier, James Poirier, Gabriel McCarthy and Moriah McCarthy; his great-grandchildren, Kadin Conner, Koen Conner, Kai McKinnon, Eloise Hillen, Logan Beamer, Jaylssa Beamer, Zane Beamer, Grady Killian, Ainsley Killian, Hunter Mills, Jasmine Mills, Dominic Lari, Madeleine Cline, Adelaide Harms and Annabelle Harms; great-great-grandchildren Sophia Conner.

We Love you Dad — Thank you for all the Love, Comedy and Warmth you brought not only to our lives but the countless people you knew throughout your 87 years. There was never a day we weren’t astounded by you — you will always live on in our Hearts — 10-4 Super Chuck!

The family of Chuck McCarthy will be holding a service at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23, 2016, at English Funeral Chapel, 1133 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, (208) 664-3143. The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to: Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, ID 83815.

Visit Chuck’s memorial and sign his online guest book at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.