Racine – Charles George Hartwig, 77, at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, went to his heavenly home on Thursday, December 23, 2010. Charles was born in Gillette, WI on July 23, 1933 to George and Ella (nee, Hagen) Hartwig. He was united in marriage to LaVerne Baker on May 26, 1956 at Grace Lutheran Church. Charles was a graduate of Racine Lutheran High School, after which he joined the U.S. Marine Corp in 1952 along with his friend Robert Cherney. He served during the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1956 as a sergeant. Charles attended Marquette University, studying personnel management. He worked as Personnel Administrator at Jacobsen Mfg. Co. for eight years; then joining J.I. Case Co. where he served as Director of Human Resources for twenty-two years, retiring in 1987. He last worked as a driver for Personnel, Inc. and met many dear friends during this time. Charles served as volunteer President of the Cerebral Palsy Agency of Racine, and Director of Camp Kinder for twenty-five years. He served on fund-raising campaigns of Racine United Way; was a member of the Board of Directors of the Curative Workshop of Racine, as well as the State Street Businessmen's Association. He also served as Past President of the Personnel Director's Council, Manufacturer's Association of Racine, and served as co-chairman of the John Aceto Memorial Scholarship Committee for all those years. He worked in the Optimist fund-raising booth at the Racine County Fair, Harbor Fest and Salmon-A.-Rama, raising funds to support the scholarship program and other youth-oriented programs in the community. He was very proud of the prize-winning tomato's he'd always entered in the County Fair. Charles is survived by his wife of 54 years, LaVerne; two sons, Marty (Elizabeth) Hartwig of Muskego and Steve (Mary Beth) Hartwig of Chanhassen, MN; granddaughters, Elizabeth Hartwig and Olivia Hartwig of Muskego; grandsons, Charles Hartwig of Muskego, Erich and Matthew Hartwig of Chanhassen, MN; and his sister Doris (Earl) Hintz of Caledonia. Charles is also survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his son, Timothy Hartwig; parents, George & Ella Hartwig; step-father, Thure Asplund; step-brother, Robert Asplund; sister and brother-in-law, Joyce (Hartwig) and Charles Zitzman; as well as his father-in-law and mother-in-law, George and Lydia (nee, Guentzel) Baker. A funeral service for Charles will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2065 Geneva Street, on Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. Internment will follow at West Lawn Memorial Park. Relatives and friends are invited to meet with the family at the funeral home on Monday evening from 5 until 7 p.m. and at the church on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Endowment Fund, Racine Lutheran High School or a charity of one's choice.