Charles "Chuck" Quarnstrom

Charles “Chuck” Quarnstrom, age 77, of Hanover, passed away October 19, 2019 at Mercy One Medical Center in Dubuque, IA. A celebration of life will take place at Law Jones Funeral Home in Savanna, IL, from 1pm to 5pm, on Sunday, November 3, 2019. A Remembrance Service will be held at 3pm that day. Memorials may be made to the Carroll County Pheasants Forever organization. Family and friends are invited to share in Chuck’s life at lawjonesfuneralhome.com.

Chuck was born on August 21, 1942, in Melrose Park, IL, the son of Carl and Gertrude (Kroeger) Quarnstrom. He graduated from Proviso East High School with the class of 1960, and then on to the University of Illinois where he enrolled in ROTC with the United States Air Force; graduating with the class of 1964. Chuck’s service to his country earned him the rank of Captain. He married Carolyn Summers; together the two had two children. Later in life, Chuck met and married the love of his life, Claudette Fortier Hoogestraat. This brought Chuck and Claudette’s family to a total of eight. Chuck made his career in advertising and marketing, rising to the position of Senior Vice President – Media Director for Leo Burnett, for whom he worked 25 years.

Chuck was a man of many interests and skills. He loved most things associated with the outdoors, such as fishing, hunting, horses, and tractors. He was a true conservationist and was the President and founder of the Carroll County chapter of Pheasants Forever and served as its President for 14 years. Chuck was a natural born teacher. He taught youth hunting courses, spurred the creation of the Carroll County Longspurs, a youth trap shooting team, and helped to develop scholarships for students going on to further education. For a period of time in his life he taught in marketing classes at the University of Illinois and taught a couple case studies of media campaigns at Harvard University in his earlier years. In his early 60’s, Chuck became a licensed EMT and volunteered with the Elizabeth Fire Department (Hanover/JoDaviess) until his health required stepping down.

Chuck will be dearly missed by his wife, Claudette; six children, Jeannette Hoogestraat, of Warrenville, IL, Peter (Christina) Hoogestraat, of Warrenville, IL, Ken (Chrissy) Quarnstrom, of Oswego, IL, Cat Fortier of Hanover, IL, Kari Hess, of Oswego, IL, and Nicole (Jim) Dirks, of Warrenville, IL; ten grandchildren, Jillian, Casey, Isabelle, Olivia, Karly, Otto, Amelia, Jack, Charlie, and Wren; and many more extended family. Chuck was like a father to many, and will be eternally remembered by many family and friends he touched.

Chuck is preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Gertrude Quarnstrom.