Charles Heberle Ludwig

1920 — 2013

Charles Heberle Ludwig, 93, died on June 16, 2013, at his son’s home in Seattle, Wash.

Chuck was the second child born to Edward Roy Ludwig and Mary Harriet Gable of Minneapolis, Minn. He graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., (class of 1942) and became a conscientious objector during WWII.

Chuck was sent to join other COs in the Pacific Northwest, where he planted trees and worked in the mental hospital at Steilacoom. It was during this time that he met and subsequently married Helen Cleveland.

Helen and Chuck, with children Steve and Meredith in tow, moved to Waldron Island in 1949.

In the early ‘50s, Chuck began work on a house for the family, and their original abode, a drafty army tent, was soon abandoned in favor of the comfy new log home.

Chuck and Helen parted ways later that decade, and Chuck remarried Mildred Holstein Campbell.

He obtained a Ph.D in organic chemistry from the University of Washington and landed a job as a research chemist at the pulp mill in Bellingham. Chuck worked at Georgia Pacific for many years, while Mildred taught at Lowell School.

The now-composite family (Dave, Dorn, Steve and Merry) lived on south Garden Street. Upon retiring, Mildred and Chuck moved back to Waldron.

After Mildred’s death, Chuck married a third time, to Elizabeth Haan, acquiring five more grown stepchildren. He and Betty divided their time between Waldron and her home in Chicago City, Minn. Betty died in August, 2012.

Chuck is survived by Stephen Ludwig and Meredith Kurose of Seattle; Dorn Campbell of Port Townsend; Heidi, Peter, Wendy and Chris Haan of Minneapolis; Heather Wortman of Albuquerque; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Please feel welcome to attend a “burial” of Chuck’s ashes Saturday, July 27, 1:30 p.m., at the Waldron Island cemetery.

The following day (Sunday), we will be serving Chuck’s favorite recipe at a pancake breakfast (9-11 a.m., Waldron Island School) and displaying photos of his long and varied life.

There will also be a memorial service in Seattle, Saturday, Aug. 24, at 2 p.m., at University Friends Meetinghouse.

For more information, contact Steve Ludwig (206) 551-5311, or steverludwig@gmail.com, or Meredith Kurose (206) 320-7079, or mkurose@seattleschools.org.

— Family of Charles Ludwig