Chuck Broad

The memorial service will be live-streamed via the following link: http://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=962ab477-41d8-4828-b117-f216000075b6

Chuck Broad, son of Charles A. Broad and Margaret Gilligan Broad, was born on April 3, 1945, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was followed by five other children: Nancy, Bill, Sharon, Mary, and Carole Anne. The family moved to Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, where Chuck lived for the rest of his childhood. His interest in science began early. He often led his siblings and neighborhood kids in “scientific experiments” that succeeded in not crippling or blowing up too many. In 1967, he graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering but nonetheless managed to keep a firm grip on his childlike sense of wonder and curiosity.

In 1970, Chuck met Susan Ricca, another child in adult form, and they married in 1971, beginning what became fifty-plus years of marriage. Chuck and Sue welcomed into their lives two children: Jonathan and Jennifer. They lived in Waukesha, Wisconsin, for several years, where Chuck worked at General Electric Medical Systems. In 1984, they moved to Naperville, Illinois, where they resided for 32 years, raising Jon and Jennie. Chuck worked in digital publishing at IBM and moonlighted (read: “played”) at the DuPage Children’s Museum, where Sue was the CEO. Chuck continued to nurture his inner child by exploring everything that interested him and creating toys and gadgets for himself and others.

Meanwhile, in 2011, Jon married Colleen Butler, and three years later, their daughter Raya was born, adding the title of grandfather to Chuck’s other honorifics. His inner child kicked into high gear. At last, he had someone his own age to play with.

In 2014, Chuck was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It was a blow to him and Sue, but they were determined to face it together courageously. In 2015, Chuck fell down a flight of stairs at home, resulting in some brain leakage. Nevertheless, Chuck retained his awe of life and his quick wit. As Chuck’s Alzheimer’s marched through his memory banks, Jon and Colleen urged Sue and Chuck to move to Madison, Wisconsin, where Jon, Colleen, and Raya lived. They did so in 2016. Jennie moved there shortly thereafter, so Chuck’s family was reunited in the State Capitol to face Alzheimer’s together.

After a couple of years, Chuck moved into an assisted living residence, and then, at the end of 2021, into the Beehive Memory Care facility in Oregon, Wisconsin. The owners and staff of Beehive were extraordinary: they cared for Chuck as if he were family, being not only cheerful, tender, warm, and friendly but thoroughly professional. The staff made his final weeks comfortable and provided care for Sue as well as Chuck. On January 6, 2022, he died in his sleep.

Chuck was loved by everyone who knew him. He was gentle, curious, giving, creative, and very, very smart. With an unerring sense of intuition, he was able to use his own inner child to bring out the inner child in others. We will miss him.

In lieu of flowers, the family would suggest that donations be made to one of two charities that have been particularly important to us:

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin

www.alzwisc.org

6314 Odana Rd, Suite 4 Madison WI 53719

DuPage Children’s Museum

www.Dupagechildrens.org

301 N Washington St, Naperville IL 60540