Dr. Charles “Chuck” Bimmerle, 84, of Double Oak and Cincinnati, Ohio, an associate professor of management who taught from 1976 to 1999, died April 8.

Originally from Ohio, he apprenticed with his father, Charles Sr., as an electrician. He also learned how to fix cars from books at the library, a hobby that helped him begin his career at Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, Michigan.

He moved back home to pursue a degree at the University of Cincinnati, where he found his calling for higher education and teaching others. He earned his Ph.D. in 1976 and shortly after accepted a position at UNT. Along with his wife, Deak, and their nine children, he moved to Double Oak, where he served as mayor in the mid-1980s.

In a 2022 North Texan article, Wilson Jones (’85) credits him as the reason he decided to stay in school. Jones had wanted to drop out to save money since he was struggling to manage his job on top of his courseload, but his professor’s encouragement and similar story changed his mind. Wilson retired as CEO of Oshkosh Corp. and created The Wilson Jones Career Center — focusing on student internships — with the second-largest gift in the history of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business.

Dr. Bimmerle's legacy continues through the many lives he touched and the passion he ignited in students, family, friends, neighbors and strangers alike. He spent much of his retirement volunteering within his community, at his church and local nursing homes.