Mentors

Whiskers

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Nov 20, 2001
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Location
Tuckerton, NJ
Reading Draftstuds memories of his Uncle Marshall made me think about my Uncle Charlie.

Uncle Charlie was a veteran of WWII, he was a cook in the army. When he was discharged he took his military pay and purchased a 4 apartment building, then he went across the street and got a job at the Standard Steel Works, then he married my Aunt Em.

Uncle Charlie wasn't an educated man, but he provided for his family, and anyone that needed help. He loved to hunt and fish, and take his nephews with him. He had one child a daughter. The family bought a piece of ground in New Lancaster Valley and put an old school bus on it. It was used as a summer camp and a deer camp. Over the years Uncle Charlie and Auntie Em wound up owning it by themselves. Uncle Charlie lived there all summer, in May him and Auntie Em would move from town to camp, and stay until September. He comuted to work from the camp during this time for about 20 years. They never turned anyone away, they fed anyone that came down the lane, or anyone that was fishing the creek on the property. He was always generous with his beer, gave him someone to drink with.

I have nothing but great memories growing up at camp. I wasn't allowed to hunt deer at camp when I was a kid. My Dad didn't approve of Uncle Charlie, his beer, his cigars, or his card games. I was allowed to hunt rabbits, squirrel, pheasant, and fish with Uncle Charlie, because they were day trips, no beer on those.

When I became an adult I hunted deer every chance I got with that old man. He was a quiet man. I often wondered what he thought about, he never discussed much other than cards, women, or how much beer was left.

When he passed, I got the camp. It was pretty run down by then. When it was built they tore an old barn down and used that lumber. That was in 1951, I got the camp in 2006. I bulldozed the old camp, and we built a new one. Uncle Charlies fishing vest, some of his fishing gear are hung above the door with a picture of Uncle Charlie. I still miss the ole boy, and we tell the stories of Uncle Chuck to the young guys that never got to meet him, he was one of a kind.

Who was your mentor???
 
Sounds like Uncle Charlie was a great Fellow! I do believe our mentors cause us to do right when others would have us do the opposite. Thanks for the story about Uncle Chuck! John
 
The camp I received from Uncle Chuck, this pic was taken in 1980, it got worse over the years until I got it.

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Uncle Chuck, he was at a reunion, this is about as dressed up as he got.

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My computer ate the picture of the new camp. Have to take a new pic.
 
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