Charles H. Rosenquist, 1933-2009, Vail resident

Charles Rosenquist of Vail, Eagle and Tucson, Ariz., died suddenly at his Eagle home on Sept. 20. Chuck had suffered from Parkinson’s disease for the last 13 years.

Chuck was born in Rockford, Ill. on Feb. 28, 1933, and graduated from East High School in 1951. He attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, graduating with a B.A. in 1955, and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. It was at CU that Chuck met Peggy Kohl; they married in 1955.

Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force, Chuck trained in the Piper Cub, T-6 Texan, T-33 and the F-86 Sabre Jet. He was member of the Mach One Club. Flying remained a lifelong love; he flew balloons, sailplanes and, in 1987, his Piper Malibu from Eagle to Beijing, China, and back. After his discharge from the Air Force, Chuck returned to Rockford, where he joined his father’s real estate firm.

Peg and Chuck were among the first to ski Vail, in 1962. The family continued to return to Vail until they moved here, permanently, in 1970 and remained until 2002.

Chuck loved modern art and wine. In the late 1970s, he was a member of the Wine-Knows Club, which culminated in his owning a vineyard in Napa Valley for 19 years and learning to make his own wine. They collected modern art, and Chuck served on Vail’s Art in Public Places board and, more recently, he was serving on the board of the Tucson Museum of Art. He donated a sculpture by Bryan Hunt, located in Mayor’s Park in Vail. He also served on the Upper Eagle Valley Water District.

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An active member of the Vail business community, Chuck built several buildings in the Vail and Lionshead community. He was also a member of The Country Club of the Rockies and Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club in Tucson, where he served on various committees.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Peg; his children, Eric Rosenquist of San Anselmo, Calif., Gretchen Thevenau of Spring, Texas, and Cristian Swanson of Key West, Fla.; his grandchildren, Sealia Thevenau, Charles B. Thevenau, Chase Jeffers and Finn Swanson; and his sisters, Charlotte Mullen of Racine, Wis., and Joy Strandquist of Rockford, Ill.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in memory of Charles H. Rosenquist to: Parkinson’s Action Network, 1025 Vermont Ave. NW #1120, Washington, DC 20005, or the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave., Tucson, AZ 85701. An informal celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m. Oct. 3 at The Country Club of the Rockies. Local friends are invited to share their memories of Chuck.