Fund Purpose
Provides educational scholarships for graduating seniors of Lanesville High School who have a minimum GPA of 2.5. Recipients must have worked a minimum total of 1,000 paid employment hours.

Fund Story
Charles A. Kaake loved to fly. While growing up in Michigan he joined the Civil Air Patrol and dreamed of becoming a pilot. He flew as a navigator when he graduated from the inaugural class of the US Air Force Academy and obtained his private pilot’s license after he left the service.

Charles was one of seven children and started working at an early age delivering newspapers. During high school he cleaned out milk trucks. While attending college in Michigan he received a congressional appointment into the Air Force Academy where he studied engineering and graduated in 1959. While in the academy he met and eventually married Lynetta Perry, a flight attendant for Frontier Airlines.

During the first years of their marriage, Charles and Netta moved frequently as he was stationed in Georgia, Massachusetts and Hawaii. In 1965 Charles left the Air Force and moved his young family, which included four children, back to Michigan. While settling into civilian life Charles worked full time and began pursuing his Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He and Netta had two more children. With so many young children in the house, Charles would get up at 3:00 A.M., while it was quiet, in order to study.

Charles worked for the Dana Corporation. In order to continue advancing Charles moved his family to Toledo, OH, Fort Wayne, IN, Cleveland, OH and Franklin TN. While succeeding in business Charles was devoted to his family. Church and Boy Scouts were a big part of their lives. They took many family vacations, driving and sight-seeing along the way.

When Charles retired, he and Netta moved to Corydon to be closer to their grandchildren. Their family grew and Charles relished the time with family and friends. They continued to travel, by now in a RV.

When Charles’ health began to decline he had to give up flying. He died in April 2006 surrounded by family.  His wife Netta said it gave her great pleasure to establish this scholarship fund as way to honor his memory.  Charles was always a hard worker.  Establishing a scholarship that recognizes and supports students who are working their way through school would make him proud.

Scholarship Recipients
2015: Kaitlin Bedel
2016: Kimberly Simler
2017: Skyler Blank
2018: Amber Simler
2019: Shelby Haas
2020: Chase Weathers
2021: Kaidyn Hall
2022: Melissa Schoen