Charles Doane Leik

Born Charles Doane Leik on the 4th of November 1927 in Dubuque Iowa. The first of two sons brought into the world by Charles and Miriam Leik, he lived and grew up in Dubuque along with his younger brother, Robert, until he graduated from high school. The family relocated to Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1948 when his father, a career lumberman, was promoted to a new position.
Shortly after the move, he joined the Navy where he served aboard the USS Essex as a Radar Technician attached to an air wing squadron. During his service he met Wanda at a USO club in San Francisco in 1953. They fell in love and were married in Klamath Falls. During their first year of marriage their son, Mike, was born and shortly thereafter they moved to Boulder, Colorado where he intended to pursue a career in Civil Engineering. But life had other plans and after 10 months the young family moved back to California where he began his lifelong career in the aerospace industry by accepting an electronics position with North American Aviation.
During his early professional career, Chuck served as a Quality Control Inspector for fighter jet radar fire control systems in the high desert of California. In 1962, the family was blessed again when their daughter, Sherri, was born. Chuck transferred to Space Division in 1964 where, after moving the family to Mississippi, he played an essential role in putting men on the moon during the Apollo/Saturn project. The moon exploration program came to an end with the successful completion of Apollo-17 and in 1971 brought about a career change for Chuck.
He spent the next few years in Klamath Falls doing industrial construction work in the lumber industry. Then in 1976 he was called back into the aerospace industry and after returning to the high desert of California he again helped to put men back into space working as a member of the Space Shuttle Team. After his retirement, Chuck and Wanda moved to Idaho Falls and made it their final home. Wanda passed away in November of 2004 and Chuck continued on becoming an active member of the retirement community.
He was a volunteer at the Idaho Falls Museum, actively participated in the "Sing-A-Longs" at the Morning Star Retirement facility and the Senior Citizens Center, and was an active member of the "Eagles" where he loved to dance. While singing at Morning Star in 2011, Chuck met Diana Hoffenbacker. They fell in love and spent the next three years happily together until he passed away on December 10, 2014. Chuck's true passions were trains, travel, U. S. History, and music, but his greatest passion was his deep devotion to the Lord.
He lived a full life and touched the lives of so many people in so many positive ways during his 87 years including his three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. His fun loving personality and easy going manner was always a pleasure to be around. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 15, 2014, at Fielding Memorial Parke Cemetery in Idaho Falls, with Pastor Theone Maupin of the Shiloh Foursquare Church, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Buck-Miller-Hann Funeral Home in Idaho Falls.

Service Details.

Service

When: Monday, December 15th, 2014
Location: Funeral Home
Address: