Charles Alan DIDIO

DIDIO, LARSEN, LARSON, ERNST, STERN, PREWITT, DANIELS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/27/2007 at 02:18:24

December 12, 2002

Charles Alan Didio, 61, died on Sunday, December 1, 2002. Funeral services were held at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, with Father David Beckman and Deacon Nick Schmit officiating. Burial was in the St. Francis Cemetery. Eucharist ministers were Linda Kehrt and Teresa Trager. Music was provided by Janyce Kluss, organist and Cyndy McNulty, cantor. Ushers were Earl Kalkwarf and Dick Kehrt. Honorary casket bearers were his nieces and nephews, John Stern, Mark Stern, Jason Stern, Ryan Didio, Mike Stern, Diena Mennenga, Kelsey Prewitt, Natalyn Daniels, Andrea Daniels and Erin Strong. Casket bearers were, Harold Buseman, Phil Buchanan, Dale Smith, Jack Fulton, Edwin Johnson, Kenneth Hawley, Daren Mennenga, Dan Thompson, Tom Strong, Tom Hill, Bob Hinman, Arturo Alvarado and Rick Tanza.

Charles Alan Didio, was born on January 26, 1941 in Belmond, to parents Carlyle and Marian (Larsen) Didio. He attended country school, St. John Catholic in Clarion and graduated in 1959 from the Belmond High School where he participated in music and FFA. Chuck enlisted in the United States Army, where he completed the radiology technologist program at the Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He served in field hospitals in Korea until 1962. From 1962 until 1966 he was a radiology technologist at the Mayo Clinic, Galena, Illinois and the Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. In 1966, he re-enlisted and served in hospitals in Vietnam for two tours of duty. Chuck was the recipient of many honors, including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnamese Cross Gallantry, Vietnamese Campaign Medal with four stars, Vietnamese Service Medal and the Combat Medic Badge. After an honorable discharge in 1970, Chuck received a business administration degree at Mankato State University. For fifteen years he was employed in the radiology department at the Veterans Hospital in Des Moines. For the past 15 years he had been employed at Veterans Hospital in San Bernardino, California. He also was a fireman for the San Bernardino Fire Department. Chuck loved to hunt and fish in Iowa. He was a member of Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, and was an avid cribbage player. He enjoyed sharing special interests and activities with each of his nieces and nephews.

Chuck was preceded in death by his father; sister-in-law, Kathy; and grandparents, Ed and Mary Didio and Joe and Ruth Larson. Survivors include his mother, Marian Ernst of Belmond; three sisters, Sandra (Wayne) Stern of Belvidere, Illinois, Mary Ruth Prewitt of San Diego, California and Geraldine (Louis) Daniels of Glendale, Arizona; two brothers, Dennis (Kim) Didio of Clear Lake and Dan Didio of Belmond.

©Belmond Independent 2002