In Memory of My Dear Friend

Charles "Charley" VanDak
Here Today... Gone on 6-30-1985

(This picture taken in January, 1981 when I visited Peoria, Illinois.  I lived in California at the time)

Charley rode Harleys.........In fact he had his fair share of 'Road Rash'.  This is not how he left us.  God took him in another way.  Sometimes our bodies just don't work the way they are supposed to and 'shit happens'. 

He left a very nice companion.  Her name was Julie Ryan.  I hope life is treating her well.
Charley and Julie had a nasty motorcycle accident which did a real 'number' on one of her legs.  They were broad-sided one dark night.  I hope she recovered okay...... It has been a long time since we spoke. 

Charley loved taking movies.  In fact he took a movie with me in it at one of our Motorcycle Parties.  It had me and my ex-old man in it.  Julie wanted to give me that movie but I got kind of rapped up in my own little world that I lost track of her and the movie is probably part of a trash heap somewhere.  (I hope not)

Charley was also quite the inventor... He loved building cannons.  Then he would take them out in the woods and blow things up.  They were all small and he never hurt anything.  He just liked them.... kind of like someone going target practicing with guns.

We used to spend hours just looking at his pictures and his inventions.  He love it because I am so creative.  I was always making creating something, also.

We were just really good friends and good friends are hard to come by.

One of his favorite singing artists was Neil Diamond.
Thus........... I am attaching a midi by Neil for Charley.

Rest in Peace, My Friend

MORNINGSIDE

Morningside
The old man died
And no one cried
They simply turned away
And when he died
He left a table made of nails and pride
And with his hands, he carved these words inside
'For my childen'

Morning light
Morning bright
I spent the night
With dreams that make you weep
Morning time
Wash away the sadness from these eyes of mine
For I recall the words an old man signed
'For my children'

And the legs were shaped with his hands
And the top made of oaken wood
And the children that sat around his table
Touched it with their laughter
Ah, and that was good

Morningside
An old man died
And no one cried
He surely died alone
And truth is sad
For not a children would claim
the gift he had
The words he carved
became his epitaph
'For my children'

Written by Neil Diamond 

1972 Prophet Music, Inc. (ASCAP)

OBITUARY:
Charles Vandak
  - MAPLETON - Charles "Charlie" E. Vandak, 42, of Rural Route 1, Mapleton, died at 4:10 p.m. Sunday at Methodist Medical Center.
     Born Oct. 3, 1942, in Peoria, a son of Joseph and Noral Summers Vandak.  He married Julie Ryan.
     Surviving are his wife; his mother, of Bartonville; three daughters, Mrs. Robin Bannister of Rome, and Amy and Ginger Vandak, both of Chilicothe; one grandson; and one brother, Joseph P. Vandak of Peoria. 
     He was a maintenance welder for 25 years at Keystone Steel and Wire.
     Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Davison-Fulton Bartonville Chapel.  Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. today.  Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery.
     Memorial contributions may be made to the Diabetes Association.
Source:  Journal Star, Peoria, Peoria Co., IL on Jul. 1, 1985.
CLICK HERE for copy of original.

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