Charles M. Godin

Charles M. Godin, 78, of Antioch, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 16th, surrounded by his family. I would love to tell you what Dad’s middle name was, but he threatened my life if I ever let it slip to the public, as he felt it made him sound like a sissy.

Charles was born on January 2, 1947, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to Austin and Mildred (Provo) Godin. He graduated from Escanaba High School in 1966 and was drafted into the Army, where he served his country overseas in the Vietnam War. Charles returned home in November of 1968 and completed his reserve obligation in 1972. That same year, he was hired by Commonwealth Edison, where he would become an overhead lineman—making dressing in denim from head to toe a fashion statement that few could rival. Charles knew every street in Lake County and could tell you 20 ways to get to the same place without ever opening a map.

As a young kid, my brother and I learned many rules from Dad, but few were as important as telling the ComEd boss that Dad wasn’t home when they called the house phone.

Charles met the love of his life, Tina (Pertile), and they wed on December 10, 1983, in Waukegan, Illinois. Dad always said that his greatest accomplishment in life was having a family of his own. On October 29, 1984, they welcomed their firstborn, Eric. Two years later, on October 19, 1986, they welcomed their second child, Nicholas. After doing some rough math, that means I was a result of the Bears winning the Super Bowl that year.

In 1992, Dad and Mom moved the family to Antioch, Illinois, where they planted roots, and the Sunset Ridge neighborhood would forever have the security guard they didn’t know they hired. Dad proudly took care of his lawn and washed his vehicles weekly like clockwork—usually without a shirt but always in shorts that made most people uncomfortable when passing the house.

Dad was the definition of hard work and was no stranger to long days and plenty of overtime. My brother and I became skilled at holding a flashlight while being scolded at a young age, quickly learning to run when asked to grab something.

Charles died knowing that The Good, The Bad and The Ugly was the best movie ever, Chuck Berry was the greatest recording artist, Clint Eastwood was the baddest man on the planet, and chicks dig El Caminos... just ask my mom.

Many thanks go out to the amazing healthcare workers who took care of Dad in his final days and were able to successfully take his vitals while Fox News was blasting in his hospital room.

In honoring Dad’s wishes, he will be cremated, and his ashes will be spread on our 40 acres up north.

Charles is survived by his wife, Tina; their children, Eric Godin of Clinton, Iowa, and Nicholas (Kayla) Godin of Spring Grove, Illinois; grandchildren, Drake and Emily; brother, Gerry (Susan) Godin of Flatrock, Michigan; and sisters, Patricia (Paul) Besson, Vivian (Bill) Gouin, and Sue Cook, all of Escanaba, Michigan, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Carol Wheeler, Kathy Davenport, Mary Gendron, and Margaret Godin.

Services will be private at the request of the family.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Kathy’s House in Charles’ name: 9100 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53226.

Find the Official Charles M. Godin Obituary & Memorials Page Only at www.LindenFunerals.com

Funeral Arrangements & Services Provided By:

Linden Funerals & Cremation
120 Peterson Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
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