BOMBER MEMORIAL

CHARLES ROBERT "CHUCK" TAMBURELLO ~ Class of 1967 Honorary
May 26, 1948 - November 27, 2022



It is with great sadness that the family of Charles Robert Tamburello, aka “Chuck,” announces the last day of his battle with stage IV, metastatic colon cancer and final departure to his Heavenly home on November 26, 2022. He fought cancer like he lived life, with a daily concentration on loving others, humor, courage, dignity, determination, selfless servitude and with everything he had. He was a simple and valiant man that loved and lived every day to the fullest, a life full of love, adventure, and service to his family, country, community, church and friends. He will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

He was a Christian man with a quiet faith. The way he loved people was an out flowing of his devotion. He did not preach sermons with words quoted from the Bible. He had a firm understanding of what was important, he put God first in everything and loved others above himself. He loved intently, purposefully and with full measure! He was kind and generous with his time, talent and treasure. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.

Chuck grew up in the Tri-Cities where he attended Spalding Grade School, Carmichael Junior High School and was a member of the Class of 1967 through his sophomore year.

He was drafted into the Army where he fought courageously in Vietnam. He returned home and became skilled at every trade and hobby he every pursued. Every friend far and wide knew they could count on Chuck to lend a hand to paint, repair, roof, restore, wire, plumb or refurbish just about anything. If he didn’t know how to do it he had an amazing ability to just figure it out. One of his last learning adventures was discovering how to fix his diesel backhoe and forklift. He was a few months from his death, though he didn’t know it at the time, and teaching himself diesel mechanics. After many failed attempts, he successfully repaired the backhoe. Now, the forklift was next. One day, after getting quite sick from chemotherapy, he managed to crawl out on the forklift extension, a solid eight or ten feet off the ground, to replace a link in the chain to get the forklift operational again. The man did not know "QUIT"!

Chuck battled cancer for six 1/2 years. He continued to be a loving, helpful, very involved father, grandfather and friend. He endured harsh cancer treatments without a complaint and kept his sense of humor. The last three years of his life, while enduring these battles, he was overseeing the construction of his dream home. He said it was a visual representation of his love for the woman he was married to for forty-two years. It is quite extravagant, and is a beautiful testimony to the strength of his spirit and his love!

He also played just as intensely as he worked. He romped, tickled and teased. He loved to zip through the windy mountain roads on anything with wheels, whizz on a snowmobile, fly down the river in a boat or on a ski or kneeboard, tube down a hill, raft the rapids, camp in the forests, explore the ocean shores or discover a new road with a view. He loved to go, see and experience new places. He could also make simple times loads of fun with his silliness, sense of humor and playfulness. The man just loved to play, and his favorite playground was with his grandchildren and family!

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, Sylvester and Helen; sister, Loretta; and daughter, Carissa Anne. He is survived by his wife, Roxanne; children: Lisa, Melissa, Tyler and Jessica; brothers: Pete "Skip" ('66 honorary), Richard and Rod; ten grandchildren; many nephews, nieces and friends.

A graveside military tribute was held on December 21, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Gardens in the devotion section followed by a Celebration of Life at Crossview Community Church in Kennewick at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers please consider a nursery gift certificate to landscape Chuck’s dream home or pay it forward to someone in need, in honor of Chuck’s giving heart.

Express your thoughts and memories in the online guestbook.

Bomber Memorial put together by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).