"Coach" Chuck Hansen Obituary (1937 - 2021)

“Coach” Chuck Hansen, 83, of Taylorville passed away on February 16 at 9:24am, at Life’s Journey Senior Living, in Taylorville. He was born on March 17, 1937 in Chicago, IL, the son of Leona (Eck) and Charles H. Hansen. He married Judie Stephens on June 29, 1968. (Judie preceded Chuck in death in 2019). Although initially intending to join the ministry, Chuck began his career teaching English and coaching at Deerfield High School, then moving to Northbrook and teaching physical education for 27 years at Glenbrook North High School (GBN). Chuck coached wrestling, football, weight lifting and track while at GBN with many proud accomplishments. His team won the 1st State Football Championship in 1974, many of his wrestlers competed in state championships, he organized and hosted the Jr and Sr National Weight Lifting Finals at GBN (televised by Wide World of Sports). Chuck also worked the Head Table for Weight Lifting and Wrestling during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. When Chuck and Judie “retired” to Taylorville in 1993, he quickly learned about a coaching opening for the Taylorville High School football team. It seemed “meant to be” when he joined the Taylorville Coaching Staff and spent the next 14 years passionately involved with the team and community, including working with young players in the K-5th grade Jr Football Program. Chuck was inducted into the State Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978, the Illinois Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2000, and the Taylorville High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2010. In his spare time, Chuck has done extensive artwork and has shown his work at various art shows throughout Illinois, including winning an award at the Illinois State Fair. An Illinois resident all his life, Chuck grew up in the Chicago area, built his family and career in Northbrook, then he and Judie “retired” to Taylorville in 1993. Chuck and Judie were members of the First United Methodist Church in Taylorville. Chuck was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and brother, James. He is survived by daughters: Elizabeth (Jeff) Weatherford of Springfield, IL, and Jodie (Mark) Zaslavsky of Libertyville, IL; grandchildren: Ashlyn and Kyle Weatherford and Zach and CJ Zaslavsky; siblings Robert Hansen and Jacqueline Bartz. Visitation will be held on February 22, 2021 from 12:00-1:30 pm and a funeral service will be immediately following at 1:30pm at Sutton Memorial Home in Taylorville, with Pastor Becky Lembke officiating. A private family burial will be held at a later date at Glenhaven Memorial Gardens. For those that cannot attend, a live stream of the service will be shown at 1:30pm from the Sutton Memorial Home Facebook page. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Taylorville High School Athletic Department, 815 W Springfield Rd, Taylorville, IL 62568 or The Alzheimer’s Research Dept c/o SIU School of Medicine Springfield, 801 N. Rutledge, Springfield, IL 62707.