Charles Robert Mckittrick

Charles Robert McKittrick—dedicated husband, father, grandfather, and friend of Colleyville, Texas, passed away just minutes after Christmas on December 26, 2022, with his loving family near his side. Charles had a gentle spirit embodied in love, humility, compassion, strength, and kindness. He was loved and will be dearly missed, especially by his wife, Helen; their children Mary (Scott) Davis, Allen (Leah) McKittrick, Sharon (Geraine) Doss, John (Jenn) McKittrick, Charles (Elvi) McKittrick, his brother Jamie McKittrick, and their eight grandchildren Justin (Savannah), Amanda, Cailey, Zoe, Ryan, Kaitlyn, Allison, Lindsey, great grandchild Claire along with many other extended family members, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Charles was predeceased by his parents Charles Emmet McKittrick and Dorothy Hazel McKittrick, and brother Mike McKittrick, and grandparents James Joseph McKittrick and Rose Marie McKittrick (Thompson) and Robert Lee Hazel and Mollie Pearl Hazel (Hockman).

Charles was born February 9, 1945, to Charles Emmet McKittrick and Dorothy Hazel McKittrick at Bob Roberts Hospital in Chicago, IL. His dad was a United States naval chief Seabee Petty Officer near the Guadalcanal during WWII delaying his initial meeting of his son Charles by a few months after he was born. Charles attended Beo Grade School, Merrill Grammar School, Gage Park Elementary, Gage Park High School, Wilson Junior College (now Malcolm X). Charles had many friends growing up and enjoyed his red 1963 Corvette Stingray before enlisting in the Navy. He would spend four years serving his country during the Vietnam War from 1965-1969 in the United States Navy as a 3rd Class Petty Officer Electrical technician on the USS Bristol DD857 later stationed in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He worked maintaining the electrical components aboard aircraft carriers sending him to faraway places including Guam and Japan. After being honorably discharged, Charles returned to Chicago as a data technician for Illinois Bell before starting to work as a radar electronic technician for the Federal Aviation Administration. This advancement kickstarted a 44-year government career starting in 1970.

After courting Helen Francis Wieciech, the two were married in Chicago at Saint Bruno Church on April 8, 1973 and started their lives as a married couple in a quaint townhome located in Schiller Park, Illinois. They had their first two children here, and they moved to Riverton, Il, where he spent nearly 10 years working for the FAA at Springfield Capital Airport. Charles and Helen went on to have five children altogether, Mary Stella Davis (McKittrick), Allen Brian McKittrick, Sharon Dorothy Doss (McKittrick), John Charles McKittrick, Charles Joseph McKittrick. Between working full-time and raising a large family, Charles received his bachelor’s in Business Administration from Sangamon State University (now University of Illinois-Springfield, IL). Charles was known as a good family man who would take his kids fishing, play catch, and even get out in the cold to help his kids make snow forts.

In 1989, Charles went on to search for a better life for himself and his family leading him to build a new home in Elgin, IL. He would stay here for the next 28 years while working as an electronic radar technician for O’Hare Airport until he transferred over to the FAA’s Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities in Elgin, where he retired in 2011. Charles loved his family and devoted his time to prayer and his Catholic faith. He loved attending church, reading about the saints, working sudoku puzzles, watching football, keeping up with the economy and news of the day, tinkering on home projects and engaging in conversations with his family anytime he could. He always loved a good joke especially from his grandkids.

In 2018, Charles was diagnosed with a very aggressive prostate cancer and moved in with his eldest daughter and husband in Southlake, Texas, to seek advanced treatments at UTSW Dallas. In 2019, Charles and Helen moved into their Colleyville, TX, home as he continued his battle. He warred through more than most and spent whatever energy he had to enjoy all that life had to offer. He never complained and always looked forward to the next moment with family or friends. His neighbors recall him walking outside with a walker and saying, “I’m doing it for them.” He will always be remembered for the many selfless sacrifices he had endured throughout life for loved ones. Throughout his final years, he unequivocally lived his days to the fullest. He attended his daughter’s and grandson’s weddings, watched grandkids graduate, saw his first great-grandchild, and enjoyed countless celebrations and holidays, along with many evenings just sitting outside holding his wife’s hand.

Charles’ family wishes to extend a special thanks to all the many dedicated staff at UT Southwest of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas Home Health, Three Oaks Hospice, Baylor Grapevine, and Colleyville EMS. All compassionately served Charles and allowed him to be around for so many wonderful life moments over the past 4 years and 4 months right down to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Visitation services will be held at Lucas Funeral Home, 1321 Precinct Line Road, Hurst, TX 76053, on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, from 6:00-8:00. The funeral service will be held at Good Shepard Church, 1000 Tinker Road, Colleyville, TX 76034, January 4, 2023, from 11:30-12:30 with a military service near the grave at 2:00 located at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, TX 75211. A reception will follow afterwards at his daughter’s home. Information to be provided after the service.

In lieu of flowers please make memorial donations to St Jude’s Children Research Hospital.