Cincinnati Enquirer, The (OH) - August 21, 2005
Deceased Name: Charles Irvin Westheimer believed in city's potential
Lives remembered
World War II veteran helped establish peace symposium
WALNUT HILLS- Charles Irvin Westheimer was a World War II veteran and a renaissance man who loved sailing, jazz and helping his community.
He loved his city so much that he named his dog Natti.
Mr. Westheimer, 92, died Thursday of natural causes at home.
He devoted much of his life and time to serving on many boards and committees. Mr. Westheimer believed in his city and the potential it had.
"He was a very quiet and very modest man," said his daughter Mary Westheimer of Phoenix, Ariz. "I think he had the ability to see the larger picture of what Cincinnati could become. He felt that he could make a difference."
Born in 1912 and raised in Avondale, Mr. Westheimer graduated in 1930 from Hughes High School.
He graduated from Harvard University in 1934 with a bachelor of arts in English.
One way he made a difference was through the establishment of the Wilmington College annual Westheimer Peace Symposium that he and his wife, May, started in 1990.
"Mother was very devoted to the cause of peace. Dad was a trustee at Wilmington," said Westheimer. "They were always looking for ways to improve people's situation. They brought speakers every year to help people understand peace and the message that this is an attainable ideal."
Mr. Westheimer met his wife, May Orton, through his family. They both grew up in Avondale and married in 1941. Mrs. Westheimer died in 2004.
After college, Mr. Westheimer came home to Cincinnati to work in the family business. He worked for Westheimer & Co., a stock brokerage founded by his father, Irvin Westheimer.
In 1941, he was drafted and served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.
After being discharged as a captain in 1945, he returned to Westheimer & Co. and eventually left the firm in 1970.
In 1987, he started Westheimer Investment Services, an investment banking firm with his brother Robert Westheimer, who has since died.
An avid sailor, Mr. Westheimer owned many sailboats. He sailed his 43-foot boat along the East Coast and his 19-foot boat in Cape Cod. He also enjoyed sailing the Caribbean, South Pacific and Ohio River. In his 60s, he was part of a crew that crossed the Atlantic.
"He was by far the oldest person on the boat," said Westheimer. "He was fearless. He loved it. He just loved that freedom and using the wind efficiently."
Mr. Westheimer also served on the Cincinnati Board of Education from 1956-1963, the Science Center's Board of Trustees, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and Friends of the Public Library.
He was chairman of the Mayor's Committee for the Celebration of the Suspension Bridge Centennial in 1966.
"Dad was a great guy. He had a really dry, sharp wit and would distill everything into one great observation," said Westheimer. "And while he never asked for recognition during his lifetime, he certainly sets a great example for citizens of any city."
A memorial service will be 3 p.m. today at the Cincinnati Museum Center. He will be buried in Spring Grove Cemetery.
Besides his daughter Mary, survivors include three sons, Thomas of Hancock, N.H., John of Lebanon, Ohio and William of West Orange, N.J.; and daughter Duffie Westheimer of Flagstaff, Ariz.
Memorials can be sent to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, 1241 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45210; Cincinnati Museum Center, Union Terminal, 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45203; Westheimer Peace Symposium of Wilmington College, Pyle Center, Box 1185, 251 Ludovic St., Wilmington, OH 45177; Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45220; or Friends of the Public Library, 800 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202.