CHARLES E. GAST MERRITT ISLAND

Charles E. "Chick" Gast, 91, died on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at Wuesthoff Hospital in Rockledge. Born in Prospect, OH, he first came to Brevard in 1917 as an infant.

A lifelong resident of Merritt Island, FL. Mr. Gast was a decorated veteran of World War II serving as Radio Operator on B-17 aircraft completing 23 missions over the European theater. During the 1940s and 1950s Mr. Gast was the owner/agent of the Great Southern Trucking Company in Cocoa.

In the 1960s and early 1970s he was employed by McDonnell-Douglas during the Apollo and Skylab programs and was later employed by and retired from defense contractor Lockheed at Port Canaveral.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances J. Gast. He is survived by his four children, Marlene Gast-Alexander of Boise, ID, Timothy Gast and Paul Gast of Metter, GA, and Jonathan Gast of Merritt Island; seven grandchildren, Sarah Waddell of Boise, ID, Adam Gast of Melbourne, Erin Hogan of Fort Stewart, GA, Matthew Gast of Metter, GA, Melissa Goodman of Metter, GA and Ashley Gast of Merritt Is land; three great grandchildren, Catherine and Theodore Waddell of Boise, ID, and Chandler Edwards-Hogan of Ft. Stewart, GA; and sister-in-law, Aleen McNeil of Merritt Island.

A visitation will be held on Monday, December 1st from 9:30-10:00 a.m. at Wylie-Baxley Funeral Home, 1360 N. Courtenay Pkwy followed by a funeral service in the chapel. The interment will follow for family and close friends at Indianola Cemetery Merritt Island. Donations may be made to Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice.