A memorial mass will take place at a later date for Charles L. Gilchrist, 86, who following a brief illness,passed away on Thursday, November 8, 2018, at Omni Manor Nursing Home in Youngstown. Charles was born March 2, 1932, in Girard, a son of the late Leslie M. Gilchrist and Beulah F. Eshleman. After graduating from Girard High School, Charles served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 through 1955.
Returning home and settling down in McDonald, Charlie owned and operated Gilchrist Sohio Service from 1959 to 1971 and, after having sold his business, would retire from General Motors in 1997. Throughout his life, Charlie was a solid provider in every sense of the word. Whether it was for his family or the community, he was committed to offering his skills and talents wherever they were needed.
Steady and soft-spoken in nature with an easy-going, yet humble personality, Charlie liked to tell stories and share a laugh with most everyone he met along the way. Family events and picnics were cherished by Charlie and none were complete without his famous homemade potato salad. A favorite story of the family took place during his days working at the Sohio station.
His nieces and nephews would often ask Uncle Charlie how he made such fantastic potato salad. He would holdup both hands, dark and stained from years of working with grease and motor oil, and say, “I mix it by hand”. Charles leaves behind his wife of 36 years, Anne (Bury) Gilchrist; a daughter,Debbie (Richard)Crish of McDonald; two sons, Mark (Barbara) Gilchrist of Madison, Connecticut, and Brian (Jennifer) Gilchristof Raleigh, North Carolina; a stepdaughter, Francine Muzevich of Midlothian, Virginia; 14 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and a multitude of nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, Charles was preceded in death by his first wife, Joan (Bispeck) Gilchrist, on May 20, 1980; stepmother, Virginia Gilchrist; stepson, Frank Folio; and two sisters, Elaine Brown and Carolyn Gilchrist. The entire Gilchrist Family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to Dr. David R. Delliquadri for his attentive care and also to the caring staff at Omni Manor for making Charlie’s stay as comfortable and dignified as possible. Memorial donations in Charlie’s name can be made to Omni Manor’s activity fund at: Windsor House at Omni Manor Health Care Center & Rehabilitation Center, 3245 Vestal Rd, Youngstown, Ohio 44509.
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