Keith “Chuck” Charles Wakefield of Burnsville and Hartland, MN and Milltown, WI died suddenly and peacefully at home on December 16th at the age of 73. Survived by his wife and best friend of 38 years, Dr. Shelley (Nelson) Wakefield, and daughters Brooke (Tristan) Jernall and Leah Wakefield.
Chuck will be particularly missed by his siblings Elizabeth Knudson, Marilyn Anderson, Frank Wakefield, and sister-in-law, Sharon Wakefield, as well as his mother-in-law Eunice Nelson, numerous friends, fishing and hunting buddies, and many in- laws, nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He is pre- ceded in death by his parents, Merle (Chief) and Ardis (Ayers) Wakefield, infant brother Clark, father-in-law Bill Nelson, brothers and sisters-in- law Clyde Wakefield and Wayne (Shirley) Wakefield, brothers-in-law David Anderson and Kernel Knudson, sister-in-law Evelyn Wakefield, niece Heather Wakefield, and nephews Parker Davidson and Mitch Wakefield. Chuck was the youngest of six children and has held a special place in each of their hearts. He graduated from New Richland High School, where he played baseball. He received his B.S. degree in Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota in 1971. He worked as a funeral director for many years in the Twin Cities, find- ing purpose in helping families during their hardest times. We wish he were here now to guide us through this journey. He left the business after burying his brother and two teenagers within a week. He found life as a salesman to his liking and enjoyed spending his days chatting with people. He never met a stranger; he made friends each day, finding humor and companionship with all. Keith had a quick wit and a snarky retort to most greetings. He was often the light of the party.
In preparation for his next career, he turned in his keys and truck the day before his first daughter was born and became “Mr. Mom” to his beloved daughters. His co-workers had bets on when he would return, but they all lost. His new calling consumed him, and he never looked back, saying, “This is the best job I’ve ever had.” The girls had hot breakfasts each morning, bedtime stories each night, and learned the words to many old country western songs; he taught them to read by age four. They gathered berries, and planted pumpkins for the deer, build- ing life-long memories together. They water- and snow-skied, and he became a hockey dad. He was so proud of the black eye Brooke sported after state finals her senior year. Keith was at varied times the lunch lady, the playground supervisor, the tutor, the chauffeur, the chap- eron, the janitor, the launderer as well as chief cook and bottle washer. With his bright smile, his hugs and encouragement, his boisterous laugh, his love of birds, animals and nature, his daughters were blessed to have the most loving dad.
His hard work supported Shelley’s work in her dental practice. He was construction supervisor when she built a new building for her practice. Once the girls were in school, he took an active role in the practice. He was the payroll clerk, handyman, bookkeeper, and lovingly tended all the birds in the aviary.
Shelley retired in 2018; Mr. Mom never retired. His spare time would find him in the woods, fishing for muskies at their cabin, or following all the Minnesota high school, college and pro teams, particularly the Twins and the Wild. He was a prodigious keeper of trivia and none of us could keep up to him whether it was crosswords, trivia games, or Jeopardy. He was brilliant and never forgot a tidbit. He was often found tinkering. He could MacGyver a fix for most anything. He didn’t know the term MacGyver because he never watched a TV show made after 1965.
Keith was a simple man, who found pleasure in the little things. He could recognize the calls of most songbirds and had names for the deer which frequent his back yard. But his greatest pleasure was watching his darling girls grow up. He was positively smitten and so proud. His passing has left a hole in the hearts of many, as evidenced by the deep sorrow and pain in our hearts.
Per his wishes, no services will be held. Instead, take a kid to a ball game. Take a kid to a hockey game. Sit in a deer stand with binoculars and no firearm. Next time you hear a chickadee think of Keith. As one of his dearest childhood friends, Al Batt writes in his book A Life Gone to the Birds, “A walk in the bird-filled woods gives a sense of timelessness. We are not meant to forget such beautiful experiences as an encounter with a Chickadee.”