Oldest Beta Theta Pi member passing...

[ECUJacob]

Charles Yardley Chittick
October 27, 1900 - July 18, 2008

Beta Theta Pi's oldest member, C. Yardley Chittick, MIT '22 passed away on Friday, July 18th. He was 107 years old.

According to the Concord Monitor:

He was the oldest living patent lawyer in the country. He feuded with Humphrey Bogart in prep school. He turned down a job offer from Thomas Edison. And he stayed sharp past the age of 100, sometimes hitting golf balls into a net.

He lived a long and admirable life. His presence at our Conventions will be dearly missed, as he was fond of singing the MIT fight song to the masses.

[SWTXBelle]

What a remarkable man! Here's hoping he's leading the MIT fight song in the chapter eternal . ..

I just read his obituary in the Boston Globe and thought this was..wow!

As students at Phillips Academy, Chittick and Bogart lived across a hall from each other, but didn't get along, according a book about the movie star's early years. They once got into a scuffle after Chittick refused to polish Bogart's shoes, the book said.


Chittick was honored at the Andover graduation, with a resolution pardoning him for hijinks as a student nine decades ago. The resolution cited a diary entry he wrote in 1918 about sneaking off campus one night with Bogart and others to watch a fire in a nearby town.

What an amazing story!



It's always sad to hear about our older brothers and sisters passing. My hope is that we can be like them and lead by example for future generations to come.

Here's to you, Mr. Chittick! Thank you for all you've done!

[LucyKKG]

Aww, he sounds like an amazing person.

[Texas<>Diamonds]

What an amazing man to be able to call your brother! He also looked remarkable to be older than 100! I am sure he will be greatly missed by all, and by his Beta Theta Pi brothers in particular.