Charles Vorel, 75, a former mechanical engineer who obtained his private pilot’s license when he was 55, died of cancer in his Elmhurst home on Monday, Feb. 11. “We both got our [pilot’s] license at the same time in 1982. Dad and I really had a great time with that,” said his son Mark. Mr. Vorel was born in Chicago and attended Purdue University before enlisting in the Army Air Forces. Upon his discharge, he returned to Purdue and graduated with a mechanical engineering degree. After working at Superior Steel in Benton Harbor, Mich., for 10 years, Mr. Vorel returned to the Chicago area to work for Cardox, now Liquid Air Corp. in Countryside. Forty years ago, Mr. Vorel and his wife, Georgianna, moved to a house in Elmhurst where they raised their three children. He was active in Elmhurst American Legion Post 187, said his son. His father’s retirement years were focused on his fascination with anything mechanical, Vorel said. “He always had an interest in anything that was related to mechanics such as photography, aviation, the railroad. When he retired at 62, he began pursuing his interests,” his son said. In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Vorel is survived by a daughter Carol Vorel; a son, Bruce; a sister, Lois Tweed; and four granddaughters. Services were held.
