<VV> Chuck Armer... this one hurts.

[Lon Anderson]

Hey Guys & Gals,

They say God places certain people into your life when you need them most... well, Chuck came into my life when I needed him... and I will always be grateful for that.  We met here on VV, but we didn't meet face-to-face until Carlisle, PA in '03... Chuck was bigger than life, and his zest for life was contagious if you spent just a few moments around him.  At the Lexington, Ky convention I ran into Chuck shortly after the FC meeting.  I was still on crutches, and he asked about the status on my 63 Greenbrier... I explained how I was unable to get the clutch job done, and since I was working "this" convention, I just didn't have the time (not that being on crutches was a hinderance as well)... he started asking "How far is it?", "Are the tires aired up?", "Will it roll?"... the wheels were turning in his head, and I couldn't believe what he was offering to do... He said  "I'll leave Darth off the trailer and get a few strong backs to help me push it on the trailer, and we'll bring it down here to get it worked on."... That's how he got Tony Underwood & Terry Kalp in his mid-1970s Cadillac (Buttercup) and up to my house... my then 12 year old daughter Sarah helped as well, and I stood with my crutches and watched while they moved that Greenbrier onto the trailer... and then hauled it to Lexington (about 65 miles) to get it fixed.  I still have some of the pictures that Tony took of that oddessy, and I'll cherish them always...  

Chuck again came to my rescue a while later, after I'd had my first of three surgeries on the still messed up leg, and had lost my job, and still hadn't been approved for disability... he somehow managed to get some donations from fellow club (CORSA, VV & local) members, many of whom I may never know or meet, and managed to send me over $6,000 to help pay bills and such... and he didn't stop there. I have to tell you, it is a VERY HUMBLING experience to have the help of so many people mainly due to the efforts of just one... I told him many times that I didn't deserve this, and his response was "I know better. This is what good people do... they help those who have helped others, and now, through no fault of their own, need help themselves. You're good people, let us help."

Once in a while he would send me a card with a gift inside, with a note to "Get something for the girls.", referring to my wife Cheryl, and daughters Sarah & Maggie...

I think the icing on the cake was when I got an envelope from CORSA, and inside was a check... I was stunned... I called Harry... "Harry, this is Lon Anderson... I'm looking at this check you just sent. This is some kind of a mistake, right??? I shouldn't be getting this...".... Harry said "You should ask your buddy Chuck." ... I called Chuck and said "Harry said I need to call you about this thing I got in the mail..." Chuck's response was "HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO TELL!!!".... I, for one, was happy that Harry told me, because I got to thank Chuck one more time for his kindness and generosity... but I know Chuck was probably just wishing for a picture of my expression when I opened that envelope.

Chuck was many things to many people... to me, he was so much more than just a friend... when I read of his passing on Friday evening, I was shocked... saddened, I haven't grieved this much since my Dad died 11 years ago... and I've been searching for the right words to say to let those who never met Chuck just get a small glimpse of what they had missed... love, respect, honor... those words not only describe Chuck, but also describe what I felt towards him.
I will miss him tremendously... 

My prayers are with Liz, their son Robbie, and his wife & daughter... and family & friends...
God bless you Louis Charles Armer, III.... you will never be forgotten.

Later,
Lon Anderson ... a.k.a. "Lonzo"