Chester Stanley Weichman

Published 10:58 am Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Chester Stanley Weichman

January 3, 1945 – March 27, 2024

Chet taught us so much. Laugh often, be slow to anger, don’t worry about impressing others or talking about yourself, love your people with your whole heart and memories mean everything. Chet was born in Longview, Washington to Stanley and Barbara Weichman. The family moved to Beaverton, Oregon where he spent his childhood. Those who knew him then remember him as “Jeep”, a nickname given to him by his parents, that followed him through his young adult life. Once he graduated from college, Jeep decided it was time to sound a bit more grown up and Chet it became.It was at Beaverton high school, at the age of 15, that Chet met Charlene Weber and there they began their life journey together. They shared 16th birthday celebrations, homecoming football games, proms, and high school graduation. The fun continued at the University of Oregon where Chet was a member of the Fiji fraternity and Char was a Pi Phi. Chet and Char were married the summer before their senior year in college, on September 17th, 1966. The day after they graduated from college, Chet was off to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to serve his 4 months of active duty in the Army National Guard. After a bit of time living in Portland, with Chet working for PNW Bell, the couple settled in Bend in 1970 with their two young children, Jeff and Lisa, and welcomed their daughter, Trisha, shortly thereafter. Chet opened and owned Small World Children’s Clothing Store, the name as an homage to one of his favorite places on earth, Disney World. Chet was an active volunteer in the Bend community serving on the Bend Park and Rec Board and as president of the Greater Bend Rotary Club, but his true love was coaching and kids. He spent his summers in high school coaching youth baseball and helped create the youth soccer program in Bend. In 1993, Chet and 5 partners opened Century Insurance Group. As Chet and Char’s family grew to 3 married children, all working at Century Insurance, they soon found themselves living their dream as grandparents, just a few streets down from their 9 beloved grandchildren. Chet’s family meant everything to him and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t and didn’t do for them. The joy he felt watching his grandchildren grow was infectious, and the way they loved their “Pops” was magical. From dressing up as the Easter bunny and trying every creation from their “smoothie stand”, to the many marvelous times spent at Disney World, the list of memories leaves a legacy of enduring love. That is a life well lived. We can miss him like crazy but also be so grateful God let us have him. We won the Pops lottery.Chet is survived by his wife Char, his children and their families, Jeff, Lori, Kelly and AJ Weichman; Lisa, Danny, Tucker, Connor and Kate Duggan; and Trisha, Ali, Carley, Grant and Jake Epple. A celebration of life with be held on Sunday, April 28th at 11am at Tetherow. Hospice house was a blessing for our family at the end of Chet’s life, for which we will always be grateful. Contributions in Chet’s honor may be made to Partners in Care Hospice House.