Charles R. Bushman

“Chuck”

(1960–2026)

Chuck passed away unexpectedly at his home in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, due to complications from Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes. He courageously battled diabetes for 54 years.

Chuck is survived by his older brother, William A. Bushman (Jeryll); his longtime caregiver of 20 years, Londa Derosier (Jerry), and their gracious family; numerous cousins; and his beloved cats, Harley and Emmy.

Chuck was preceded in death by his wife, Susan G. Bushman (nee Swessel) (1960–2016). They were married in 1985 and remained together until her passing in 2016. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Eugene Raymond Bushman (1927–1989) and Jenny Derus Bushman (nee Zimny) (1924–2007), as well as his grandparents: Anton Bushman (1888–1936), Rose F. Bushman (Diem) (1890–1974), Walter F. Zimny (1890–1975), and Anna Zimny (Derusow) (1894–1953).

Chuck was born and raised at the family home on Crawford Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Walt Whitman Elementary School, John Audubon Junior High School, and Alexander Hamilton High School, graduating with the Class of 1979. During high school, he also participated in the Advanced Machine Shop Contract Program at Milwaukee Area Technical College (1978–1979). Chuck later graduated from MATC’s Tool and Die Program with the Class of 1981.

Chuck completed the Machine Tool Building Apprenticeship Program at Kearney & Trecker Company in West Allis, Wisconsin, where he built advanced CNC and custom-designed metal cutting machines. After Kearney & Trecker closed in 1992, he worked at Master Lock Company for two years before joining Harley-Davidson in 1994. He worked at both the Capitol Drive and Pilgrim Road facilities, where his wife, Sue, also worked.

Chuck was highly regarded for troubleshooting, repairing, and modifying industrial machinery. He often designed improved replacement parts that exceeded the original engineering designs. He also traveled to Europe to evaluate, select, and accept new machine tools for Harley-Davidson. Chuck was a proud member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 78 IAM.

For many years, Chuck enjoyed riding and owning Harley-Davidson motorcycles through the employee purchase program. He eventually gave up riding as ongoing health issues limited his ability to do so. Chuck also loved high-performance cars and enjoyed owning and restoring his customized 1970 Dodge Challenger 440 Six Pack Convertible, as well as Ford Super Duty diesel trucks.

In 1992, Chuck and Sue purchased their first and only home in Oak Creek. Chuck took great pride in modifying and customizing their home to meet his exacting standards and conveniences. He completed all of the work himself and was always willing to learn new skills if he encountered something unfamiliar. Chuck retired from Harley-Davidson in 2023 due to ongoing health concerns.

A visitation and memorial gathering for Chuck will be held at Heritage Funeral Home (9200 S. 27th Street, Oak Creek, Wisconsin) on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Casual attire is requested.

Chuck will be privately interred next to his wife, Susan, at Forest Hill Memorial Park (3301 E. Forest Hill Road, Oak Creek, Wisconsin 5315).

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in support of its mission: “Turn Type 1 into Type None.”

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