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 that 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 until he was drafted in 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 10 feet off the ground to replace a link in the chain to get the forklift operational again.  The man did not know QUIT!

He battled cancer for 61/2 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 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, Richard, and Rod, ten grandchildren, many nephews, nieces, and friends.

A graveside military tribute will be held on December 21, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Gardens in the devotion section in  Richland, WA 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.