Sergeant Charles (Chuck) Page's Obituary
Charles Richard (Chuck) Page - Aug 9, 1920 – Aug 20, 2022
At 102 years young, Charles (Chuck) Page was still smiling and enjoying the blessings of each new day. He had
a wonderful week of birthday celebrations with visits, cards and phone calls from family and friends. On August
20 he died peacefully in his sleep.
Born in St.Catharines, Ontario to Herbert James Page and Annie Nolan Page, Chuck was raised in the house
built by his father on Marlborough Avenue. Along with his older brother Albert (Al) and younger sister Dorothy
(Dot), Chuck enjoyed an idyllic youth in the Facer Street area playing pond hockey and swimming in the not-yet
completed Welland Canal (on which his father was a foreman carpenter). When times were tough during the
depression he still remembered good food on the table and chickens in the yard. Chuck was a handsome, easy-
going, athletic young man and a loyal friend. He had an uncanny memory for people, places and dates and
never tired of catching up with old friends and making new ones.
When war broke out, brother Al was the first to sign up. Chuck was next in 1941 and was sent overseas to
become a member of Bomber Command in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Bomber Command had the highest
casualty rate of all the allied forces and indeed, on his 19 th operation, Chuck’s plane was shot down over
Holland. He was able to parachute safely out of the burning plane but was captured a few days later and taken
to a German prison camp for the remainder of the war. In the end, Chuck escaped during the Long March and
returned safely to England and eventually to Canada. Sadly, his homecoming was bittersweet as his beloved
mother had passed away during his time in the camp.
Back in St.Catharines, Chuck would embark on his career as a Purchasing Agent for various chain and steel
manufacturers in the Niagara Region. One day at the office he was introduced to a beautiful young secretary, ten
years his junior, who would soon become his wife. Chuck and Irene (Lloyd) married in 1952 and began their
family life in a little house on Smythe St in the community of Merritton. Three children and three decades later,
the couple found themselves moving from the family home on Briarsdale Dr to a townhouse on Linwell Rd where
they would live out the final chapter of their lives together.
Chuck was a devoted father and family man. He shared his love of sports with his children and coached Little
League Baseball and Hockey. Favourite family memories include long Sunday drives and weeks spent at a
rented cottage in Muskoka. Chuck kept fit digging the gardens for Irene and cutting the grass in the big ravine lot
on Briarsdale Dr. Irene was a great organizer and planner. She and Chuck spent many holidays in later years
with children and grandchildren in British Columbia and northern Ontario, as well as in the US, England and
Scotland. Chuck was content to go along with every plan and he loved visiting his family. Chuck and Irene were
also members of a bowling league in Port Dalhousie for many years and Chuck was an excellent bowler well into
his 90’s. They were regular, lifetime users of the Public Library and enjoyed gardening, TV (sports for Dad) and
visiting with friends and neighbours.
Like many WWII Veterans, Chuck never talked about the war years with his family. However, after the kids grew
up and moved away, he joined his local Air Force wing in the 1990’s and began to participate in Remembrance
Day and other Veteran’s activities. He was honoured to have his experiences with Bomber Command
commemorated through The Veterans Project in 2010. He attended school programs and Remembrance Day
ceremonies right up to the age of 101.
We would like to credit the Brock University Senior Fit program for giving Chuck a new lease on life at the age of
89! The gym workouts and camaraderie this program afforded were invaluable. He was thrilled to become an
honorary “lifetime” member and maintained these treasured friendships till the end.
As his 100 th birthday approached, Chuck embarked on “Chuck’s Challenge” for Hotel Dieu Shaver Rehabilitation
Center in St. Catharines. With the help of family friend, Mary Ellen, Chuck walked 100 laps around his
townhouse complex and raised over $23,000! The project culminated in a Covid-friendly parade to honour
Chuck’s accomplishment, complete with marching band, dignitaries, a ride in a military “Iltis” and a Lancaster
Bomber fly-over. The following year with “101 Donations”, Chuck raised over $10,000 in a fundraising challenge
for Valley Community Services in his new hometown of Creston, BC.
Sadly, Chuck lost Irene, his wife of 68 years, a scant two weeks before his 100 th birthday. For his final adventure,
Chuck accepted the offer to move to Creston, BC and live with daughter Nancy and her husband Leonard. Not
many could make such a drastic change to their lives at the age of 100. But Chuck adapted beautifully. Never a
man to complain, he continued to greet every day with a cheery smile and an incredibly positive attitude. Creston
welcomed Chuck with open arms. The compassion of the entire medical community has been exemplary. Ever
the optimist, Chuck never gave up hope for his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs and rarely missed a Blue Jays
game. Throughout his life, Chuck Page created an amazing legacy of community support, generosity of spirit
and good humour. He generated a wealth of friendships among people of all ages and was loved and admired
by many.
More than anything, Chuck loved his children, grandchildren and their families. He was tremendously proud of all
of their accomplishments. Chuck Page is survived by his children Dr. Rick Page of Ladysmith, BC; Nancy
DeVuono (Leonard) of Creston, BC; Dave Page (Shari) of Elora, Ont; his grandchildren Dr. Jessica Page
(Jeremy McLennan) of Lethbridge, Alta with great-grandson Reggie McLennan; Alec Page of Vancouver, BC;
Nathan DeVuono (Danielle) of Creston, BC; David DeVuono of BC; Brendan Page of Elora, Ont and other dear
friends and relatives both near and far.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Center, St. Catharines,
Ont or Valley Community Services, Creston, BC.
With thanks to his daughter Nancy DeVuono for the notification.
The link below is for a Vimeo video. These videos are part of a government sponsored project to capture veterans' experiences. The project includes veterans' stories from WW II2 to the present. The link below is to Chuck Page's story in his own words.
https://vimeo.com/channels/theveterans/17495905