Charles T. "Chuck" Merrill
Chuck Merrill, formerly of Springfield, IL, passed on Monday June 20, 2022 into the arms of our most loving and forgiving heavenly Father. Chuck was born June 9, 1944 in Lincoln, IL, the son of Harold and Rachel (Suiter) Merrill.
He is survived by his daughter, Carla L. (Travis) Smith, grandson, Grant Luckhart and daughter, Rachelle (Jim) Haake, grandsons, Tyler and Bryce Haake. He is also survived by beloved nieces and nephews.
At his core, Chuck was a builder, one who loved the challenge of creating and improving. Starting at building furniture in high school to building Merrill’s Contractors, he patented curb machine accessories, and moved on into heavy highway construction where he spent 40 years proudly working in central Illinois.
Sprint cars, What began as a hobby and way to relax quickly became another build. Founding Maxim Racing Chassis, from its inception in 1988 until 2014, it was his true passion. Letting go was hard, but he stated he knew the current owners have the same love of racing. He was incredibly proud of the work he did in the sprint car industry. From manufacturer of the year several times, to being part of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, where in 2014 he became an inductee.
Chuck loved to be in Florida. His soul loved nature. The beauty of a tree lined road, the flight of a bird, and the sound of the ocean. An apt parallel to building he loved to watch things grow. He loved to grow and eat tomatoes. He loved rose bushes and hydrangea and the vibrant colors of gerber daisies. He loved color. He lived vibrantly. He loved us. And we love and miss him and are forever grateful our heavenly Father gave us these years together.
Memorial Gathering: 4 – 7 pm, Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at Staab Funeral Home – Sherman.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame or the American Heart Association.
Share stories & photos at StaabObituary.com
©2022 All Content Obituary Systems
Service Information
Life Event Timeline
Help tell the story of Chuck by contributing to the Life Event Timeline. Upload the photo of an event...
Post an Event
Tom Cecil posted on 6/27/22
Chuck's Memorial As we grow older, we grow apart. But we will always remember the past of friends and people we met on the way. Chuck will be deeply missed as a friend, co-worker, boss and male business owner. He led many people in the right direction in life. We met at school. Some of the fun activities we enjoyed were hunting, canoeing, practice shooting off the old bridge, working with his Dad, Harold, and racing. When Chuck went to college, I went into the Army. After I got out of the service, Chuck was married and I met my future wife. Chuck was our best man for our wedding fifty-four years ago. We continued our friendship as couples. We played cards; went horseback riding and just hung out together. I joined the fire dept. after we got married. I worked for Merrill Contractors part-time at his new business in Lincoln. After several years, Chuck moved his business to Springfield where I continued to work for him part-time for thirty-eight years. Chuck will be greatly missed. I loved him. He was my best friend. Tom Cecil