Charles Vincent DiGiovanna

Charles Vincent DiGiovanna, 83, passed away Thursday, January 5th, following a period of hospitalization. Visitation will be held Wednesday, January 11th, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at O’Riley Branson Funeral Service and Crematory, 6107 South East Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. Mass of Christian burial will begin at 10:00 am, Thursday, January 12th, in Our Lady of the Greenwood Catholic Church 335 S. Meridian Street, Greenwood, Indiana, followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery, Indianapolis. 
Charles was born on 11 August, 1939, in New York, the son of Gaspar DiGiovanna and Rose DiGiovanna. He met his wife, Martha Sue DiGiovanna (nèe Frederick) at a South Bend Big Boy restaurant while he was attended the University of Notre Dame. He earned his Doctorate of Philosophy in Chemistry from that institution in 1964. He and Martha married on January 8th, 1966, at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Center, New York. They settled in Indianapolis and raised one daughter, Tara Rose DiGiovanna. 
Charles was an executive at the Reilly Chemical Company (now Vertellus Specialties), which he joined as a researcher in October of 1965. In his time with the company, he grew the Specialty Chemicals division from a small operation to one of the leading divisions in the company. He also built many working relationships with people from all over the world, and especially his team here in Indianapolis. 
In addition to this, he pursued several passions, including civil aviation, woodworking, and electronics, most especially model trains. He was an avid reader and student of history, philosophy, and science. He and Martha Sue travelled the US following his retirement in 1999, investigating their genealogy.
He was also very active at Our Lady of the Greenwood church in Greenwood, Indiana, and served as a lay minister for the sick at St. Francis Hospital in Mooresville, as well as helping others in the community. His family paid this tribute to him, “He had a quick, analytical mind, but one that was always tempered with kindness and caring. He was eager to share his understanding of the world, and have others share theirs in turn. He would have wanted me to stress that through all his trials and successes, he did it his way.”
His wife, Martha Sue, preceded him in death in April of 2018. He is survived by his daughter, Tara Rose, his brother, Augustine and sister-in-law Linda, his godson Gaspar Russel, niece Christina Beth, his godson Gary Vincent, as well as dear friends and family, far too many to list here but who are joined in mourning. 
As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent to Wheeler Mission, https://wheelermission.org/donate-to-wheeler/, the Trevor Project, https://give.thetrevorproject.org/give/63307/#!/donation/checkout, or IndyReads https://giving.indyreads.org/give/438295/#!/donation/checkout