Chuck Eliason was an amazing man. He was born in Browning Montana on March 24, 1942 to Hank and Iona Eliason, and was a proud and enrolled member of the Blackfeet Indian Nation. For much of his early life he lived in Pendleton, Oregon. An accomplished athlete in high school; Chuck played football, basketball and baseball. Later in his life he was very honored to be named to the Pendleton High School Football Hall of Fame. Chuck went on to play football at WSU, and for the rest of his life was a proud Cougar. In 1966 Chuck joined the Navy and became a medical corpsman. He volunteered to join a Marine Corps combat unit and eventually served two tours as a corpsman on the front lines in Viet Nam. There was not a day that went by where Chuck did not remember his comrades in arms, especially the Marines with whom he served so honorably. When Chuck returned from his military service he completed his college education at WSU. For a number of years he competed as a bareback rider in rodeos throughout the West, and was ultimately a proud "Gold Card" member of the PRCA. He was a true cowboy who loved everything about rodeo, especially the people he met along the way. Chuck valued his time as a Board Member for the Benton Franklin County Fair and Rodeo, and took great pride in the years he served as Director of the Horse Heaven Roundup. Chuck will mostly be remembered for his love of friends and family. He was very proud of his children and completely captivated by his grand children. Chuck passed away on May 15th following complications from emergency surgery. In the final hours of his life he was surrounded by family. He died peacefully in his wife's arms, and for anyone who had a chance to see them together over the years you will appreciate that he would not have had it any other way. Chuck was preceded in death by his father, Hank; his mother, Iona; and his brother, Darryl. He is survived by his wife, Lynne; a mother-in-law, Vere May; a son, Denny Sandra; daughters Staci Curbow Ron, Christy Williams Don, Shannon Deweber Shane; and son Brick Batchhelder Jen. He is also survived by his grandchildren who where the joys of his life - Mac Jen, Justin, Alex, Kenner, Belle, Pierce, Hailee, Peighton and his soon-to-be great grandson Jude. Funeral Services will be held on May 22, 2009 at 10:00a.m. at the Kennewick Baptist Church located at 2425 W. Albany in Kennewick. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that you send remembrances to the Youth Ministry at the In-Step Church , 201512 E. Finley Road in Kennewick, 99337 or to The Special Olympics Washington., www.sowa.org.