Basil W. C. Mego, Sr.

BASIL WILLIAM CHARLES MEGO SR. FEBRUARY 1, 2005 SURROUNDED BY LOVING FAMILY, BASIL WILLIAM CHARLES (CHARLIE) MEGO SR. PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY FROM CONGESTIVE HEART & KIDNEY FAILURES ON JANUARY 26, 2005, AT 90 YEARS OF AGE, AT A HOSPITAL IN TORRANCE, CA. HE HAD RESIDED IN HAWTHORNE, CA, SINCE 1947. CHARLIE WAS BORN IN MADISON, PA, ON NOVEMBER 16, 1914, TO FANNIE (BEZEGA) MEGO & MICHAEL MEGO WHO BOTH EMIGRATED FROM AUSTRIA-HUNGARY (UKRAINE). CHARLIE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE OF 62 YEARS, ANNA (HOMENICK) MEGO; 6 CHILDREN (4 DAUGHTERS & 2 SONS); 17 GRANDCHILDREN; 8 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN; & HIS YOUNGEST BROTHER. HIS CHILDREN ARE DARLENE BRENDA CASTRO OF CARSON, CA; WILLIAM CHARLES MEGO JR. & HIS WIFE MARILYN OF ARLINGTON, TX; GORDON MICHAEL MEGO OF HAWTHORNE, CA; ADRIENNE JANET MICHAELSEN & HER HUSBAND ROBERT JR. OF TORRANCE, CA; JUANITA LANDINE ADDINGTON OF HUMBLE, TX; & NANCY LORAINE NEWNS & HER HUSBAND NEAL OF ATASCOCITA, TX. CHARLIE’S GRANDCHILDREN ARE JOSEPH, VIRGINIA, & JENNETTE; CATHERINE, CHARLES III, DENISE, & MICHAEL; ROBERT III, ERIC, & JENNIFER; RHONDA; BRIAN, MICHAEL, KYLE, ELIZABETH, VICTORIA, & RICHARD. HIS GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN ARE GILBERT & ROCHELLE; BRITTANY & BRIAN; BRANDON & AMANDA; MATTHEW; & ROBERT IV. HIS BROTHER IS FRANK MEGO OF RESEDA, CA. CHARLIE WAS PRE-DECEASED BY HIS 4 BROTHERS & 1 SISTER. CHARLIE WAS KNOWN AS HARD-WORKING, CONSCIENTIOUS, HONEST, PATIENT, COMPASSIONATE, KIND, LOVING, & GENEROUS. TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN, CHARLIE WAS A FUN-LOVING, EASY-GOING, WITTY, AND EVER-SMILING MAN. HIS STRONG WORK ETHIC, MORAL VALUES, & RELIGIOUS FAITH WERE REFLECTED IN EVERYTHING THAT HE DID. CHARLIE DISPLAYED HIS EXTRAORDINARY LOVE FOR HIS FAMILY IN A QUIET MANNER THROUGH HIS ACTIONS. HE WOULD NEVER HESITATE TO HELP ANYONE IN NEED. HIS ABILITY TO REPAIR NEARLY ANY BROKEN ITEM OR CAR EARNED HIM THE NICKNAME OF “MR. FIX-IT.” BECAUSE OF HIS IMMIGRANT PARENTS’ MEAGER FINANCIAL SITUATION, CHARLIE WAS COMPELLED TO TERMINATE HIS EDUCATION AT THE 8TH GRADE LEVEL TO OBTAIN A JOB AND ASSIST WITH THE FAMILY INCOME. HOWEVER, CHARLIE’S HIGH DEGREE OF INNATE INTELLIGENCE, ANALYTICAL MIND, & PERSEVERENCE ALLOWED HIM TO LEARN MANY NEW SKILLS ON HIS OWN SIMPLY BY SELF-STUDY. CHARLIE LIVED A FULL & ADVENTUROUS LIFE. IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS, HE LOVED TO TRAVEL & RIDE HIS HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE WITH HIS FRIENDS THROUGHOUT PARTS OF THE U.S. AND CANADA. HE MARRIED ANNA ON NOVEMBER 9, 1942, IN MONESSON, PA, WHEN HE WAS NEARLY 28 YEARS OLD. WITHIN A WEEK, THE COUPLE RELOCATED TO FORT WORTH, TX, SO CHARLIE COULD ACCEPT A POSITION AS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC. IN JULY 1946, AFTER THE BIRTH OF THEIR FIRST 2 CHILDREN, THE COUPLE AGAIN RELOCATED TO CALIFORNIA. THEY SETTLED IN HAWTHORNE, CA, IN 1947, WHERE THEY BUILT A HOME, RAISED 6 CHILDREN, AND HAVE REMAINED AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY. CHARLIE WORKED AS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC FOR CONSOLIDATED VULTEE (NOW GENERAL DYNAMICS) IN FORTH WORTH, TX, FROM 1942 TO 1944; AMERICAN AIRLINES IN FORTH WORTH, TX, FROM 1944 TO JULY 1946; AMERICAN AIRLINES IN BURBANK/LOS ANGELES, CA, FROM JULY 1946 TO NOVEMBER 1956. HE THEN WORKED AS A TECHNICAL WRITER FOR DOUGLAS (NOW MCDONNELL-DOUGLAS) IN HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA, FROM SEPTEMBER 1957 TO MARCH 1974; & FOR NORTHROP AEROSPACE CORP (NOW NORTHROP-GRUMMAN) IN HAWTHORNE, CA, FROM MAY 1974 UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT ON FEBRUARY 1, 1981, AT THE AGE OF 66. HIS WISDOM AND HUMOR WILL BE GREATLY MISSED BY ALL VISITATION WILL BE FEBRUARY 3rd FROM 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM AT McCORMICK MORTUARY AT13806 S. HAWTHORNE BLVD. HAWTHORNE, CA 90250. MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL WILL BE 11:00 AM FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 4th AT ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HAWTHORNE. INTERMENT WILL FOLLOW AT HOLY CROSS CEMETERY IN CULVER CITY.