Ramon Justo Chamorro

Ramon Chamorro, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 15th, 2025 at his home in Lake Geneva, WI.  He was surrounded by his family.

Ramon was born in Seville, Spain to Ramon and Amparo.  He spent his early years in Seville before his family moved to San Feliu de Guixols where Ramon attended Catholic school. He was known to give the nuns a hard time in class and was even caught once sipping the Communion wine. The third of four boys, Ramon had many adventures, fishing and swimming in the Mediterranean, taking figs from a neighbor’s tree, and playing soccer.

Ramon left school at a young age and went to work at the Hotel La Gavina with his dad.  He worked as a busboy and helped in the kitchen where he developed a passion for food and cooking.  This motivated him to follow his dreams and learn to cook in kitchens across Spain and France.  He served his required time in the Spanish Air Force where he learned to fly fighter planes.

At the age of 26, Ramon was working as a hotel manager at the Hotel Son Vida in Mallorca, Spain.  Working the front desk one day in the spring, he saw the passport photo of a beautiful young American woman and decided he wanted to meet her.  As the infamous story goes, Ramon and Charlene went dancing at the discoteca their first night together with their friends Janice and Christobal.  He invited Charlene to dinner on her third night in town and proposed to her.  She immediately said yes.  This romantic, impulsive, and impatient man knew he had met the woman that would be his partner in life.  After a few months of sending letters and pictures, Ramon arrived in Chicago and he and Charlene were married on August 5, 1973. As you can imagine, Charlene’s parents were skeptical of Ramon but once they got to know him, he was embraced as a member of their family.  Ramon and Charlene celebrated 51 years of marriage last August and their love story is one that will live on.

Ramon and Charlene traveled in their early years together and moved a few times.  They welcomed their daughter Noelle in January of 1978 and their son Adam in May of 1980.  Ramon had worked for the Hilton at the O’Hare Airport for a few years before he decided to sell insurance for Prudential.  They settled into a new home in Glendale Heights, Illinois where they had many friends and neighbors.

Ramon carried his love for cooking into his home life.  He made many amazing meals and introduced his family to foods uncommon to many Americans.  His dinners were always creative and made with love.   Mealtime was a family-centered experience where food was shared and everyone lingered after meals to talk, debate, and laugh.  Ramon was also an avid gardener.  When he, Charlene, and the kids moved to Addison, he lovingly tended to his large yard, which was always full of flowers, plants, vegetables, and herbs.  They had many family parties, from Crab Fests in the summers to jolly Christmas celebrations where their home was lovingly decorated, and food and wine were served in abundance. These events were family favorites and are treasured memories for his grandchildren, Adalyn and Jack.

Ramon was a larger-than-life character, who was loud, funny, and always entertaining.  He and his family traveled back to Spain often to see his brothers and their families.  Ramon and Charlene also took many trips together once the kids had gone off to college and started their own lives.  They spent time in Napa Valley (a favorite), and visited Lake Tahoe, Door County, Minnesota, and returned to Spain often.

In his later years, Ramon continued to cook and garden.  He and Charlene liked going to movies together, visiting with their kids and grandkids, and spending time with family and friends.  Their recent move to Lake Geneva, WI in May of 2025 was an exciting and welcome change to a quiet new community and one-level living.  We all wish he would have had more time to make a new home there.

Ramon will be remembered by many for his belly laugh, his welcoming and entertaining personality, his humor, and his love.  He made sure that people he cared for knew they were loved and he was very expressive with his emotions.  Ramon will hold a special place in the hearts and memories of many, and he will truly be missed.

Ramon is survived by his beloved wife Charlene (nee Diver), daughter Noelle Badon, her husband Tom Badon, and their children, Adalyn and Jack, as well as his son Adam Chamorro and his wife Janet.  He is also survived by his brothers Antonio (Angela), Luis (Conxi), and Miguel (Roxana) Chamorro and many nieces and nephews in Spain In addition, he will be remembered by his in-laws Jim and Zibby Diver and Wayne and Georgeann Demonbreun, their children and their grandchildren.  He is preceded in death by his parents, Ramon and Amparo, his in-laws, John and Loretta, and his beloved nephew Luke.

A celebration of life for Ramon will be held on Friday, July 18th at 12:00 p.m. at Nuova Italia Restaurant, 32 E Lake St, Addison, IL 60101.  Friends and family are invited to attend to celebrate Ramon’s life.

Ramon will be deeply missed by all who knew him.  He lived his life to the fullest and one of his favorite sayings to justify his often-extravagant ways was “I could be dead tomorrow.”  His wife Charlene will carry the memory of Moni in her heart and his legacy will live on in his children and grandchildren, family and friends.

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Derrick Funeral Home is honored to be assisting the Chamorro family.