Obituary

Lt. Colonel USMC, Retired – The Few, The Proud

Born April 15, 1932 in Yonkers, NY to Agnes W. McCluskey and William A. McCluskey, Jr., the last of three children (William A. McCluskey, III and Lauretta Klarkowski), died June 21, 2017.

He resided in Hastings on Hudson, NY, graduating from Hastings High School and the Halsted School in Yonkers, NY. He attended the University of Maine as a member of Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity, participated in ROTC and received his B.A. in history and education.

Chuck enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1952 receiving training at Parris Island, South Carolina and the Marine Corps School in Quantico, Virginia earning commission in 1954. His “temporary duty” at home included being a Boy Scout Webelos leader and as a little league baseball umpire. Chuck retired to Bellingham, Washington in 1975 where he could fish, crab, sail, garden and “build stuff”, most notably a treehouse resembling a boat for his grandchildren.

Chuck’s retirement careers included working for Carter Real Estate, Whatcom Title Insurance and as a substitute teacher at Fairhaven Middle School. He served as President of the Bellingham Kiwanis Club and Lieutenant Governor of Kiwanis Pacific Northwest District. He was also a member of Goshen Grange and BPOE #194.

He is survived by his caring wife, Lyn, of 63 years, Kevin McCluskey (son), Brian McCluskey (son) and his wife Angela, Katy James (daughter), Amanda Bartoy (granddaughter), Conor McCluskey (grandson) and his fiancé Amanda, Reilly McCluskey (grandson) and his wife Ashlei, and Sean McCluskey (grandson) and his fiancé Kaelyn.

Chuck found peace and contentment in Bellingham and said he had “a loving wife, caring family, friends, good neighbors and a fine piece of land. What more could a man want?”

Semper Fidelis

Celebration of Life to be held on Saturday, July 1, 2017 at 1 p.m at Moles Greenacres (5700 Northwest Dr., Ferndale).