Charles "Chuck" Wingis passed away at the age of 73 on Aug. 2, 2004 in Joshua Tree, California.

Before coming to IU, Wingis served in the U.S. Marines during the Korean Conflict. He met his fellow journalism/advertising student and future wife Janet Bernstein while at IU. Wingis began his professional journalism career as a reporter in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and moved to become a reporter for business publication Supply House Times in Chicago. 

Wingis worked in copywriting for direct mail for several years before becoming a reporter at the Los Angeles office of Crain Communications Inc. There, he reported for Advertising Age, Advertising and Sales Promotion, and other Crain publications until he retired in 1996.