As we celebrate the return of Illinois football on Sept. 2, when the Fighting Illini take on Toledo, it is important to honor every member of our famILLy. From the players and coaches on the field, to the Marching Illini, to everyone donning Orange and Blue throughout Memorial Stadium, to the Fighting Illini faithful near and far, our famILLy is central to our success, both on and off the field. To honor one of the most critical members of our famILLy, our fans, ahead of each football home game, we will share the stories of those who represent the values we uphold at Illinois. The first part of our FamILLy Focus series features the life and memory of dedicated Fighting Illini fan Charles "Chuck" Wuebben, who passed away in June. Chuck's family and friends will honor Chuck's life with a large tailgate featuring friends and famILLy from across the country on Sept. 2. The following is a letter sent to the Illinois athletics department written by Chuck's son, Mike Wuebben.
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Charles "Chuck" Wuebben (1939-2023): "Through thick and thin, in losses and wins, Orange and Blue, through and through."
I want you to know you lost a great fan this summer. My father, Charles "Chuck" Wuebben, passed away at the age of 84.
My dad wasn't born an Illini, but you won't find a more loyal fan. He moved to Champaign in the mid 60s, where he married and raised three boys. When we were kids, we would fight over who got his extra season ticket to football and basketball games (he only bought two each season).
His strategy for beating the crowds at Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall was to show up early and leave late. We would look down at the sousaphone players from the rotunda, then head in and watch warm-ups. He loved the pageantry of the game. He sang along to the Three in One as loud and as reverently as anyone.
When I think of my dad at a game, I picture him with a smile on his face, marking up the program. He had an almost-child-like joy of being in the crowd, sharing the experience with his kids and his grandkids. That wince he had when we couldn't convert a third-and-short, it still hid a bit of a grin.
We moved to Alaska in 1983 but still watched every game we could on TV, and he brought us all down to Pasadena in January of 1984 to watch a shocking loss to UCLA. Fast-forward to 2007, and at the beginning of the season, my dad said he'd fly us all to California if by some miracle the Illini made it to the Rose Bowl. And, of course, it was a miracle season, and we all got a vacation to Cali! I remember on our way into that game against USC, my dad turned to us and said, "Enjoy this feeling now because by the time the game is over, we may not be so happy."
Like my dad, I never attended the University of Illinois. The same with my younger brother. But, we still bleed Orange and Blue. The Illini were a touch point for us. Every fall, we could look at the schedule and find a game we could build a weekend trip around. At Christmas, we would watch the Illini trounce some random cupcake at State Farm Center.
My dad taught us loyalty. He celebrated the athleticism, the competition, the tradition. He had a bond to the team that we shared. When we talk about the Illini adding a four-star big in 2024, it's "we" added a big. When the Illini lose, we lose. When the Illini win, we win.
To all of you at the athletics department, to all the players who wore the jersey, to the students who filled the stadium, the parking attendants, the tailgaters, the cheerleaders, the band members: You all played a part in bringing joy to a man who lived a happy, fulfilling life.
On June 26, 2023, the Illini lost. Chuck Wuebben won't be cheering you on anymore. He passed on his passion to the next generation.
Thank you for letting us be a part of Illini Nation.
I-L-L
- Mike Wuebben
