The Wankat Family
Tyson and Chuck with their daughter Tinsley
Chuck Wankat, Tyson McFall-Wankat, and their delightful daughter Tinsley moved into their home on Osprey Drive East in 2023.
Chuck, an ER nurse for the IU Health Network and officer in the US Navy Reserves, grew up in West Lafayette. With fond memories of biking around Purdue neighborhoods, Chuck chose a different climate for college and attended the University of Central Florida. After a deployment with the Navy Reserves sparked his interest in nursing, he returned to West Lafayette to pursue a second degree in nursing. “Chuck works shifts at Arnett, White County, Frankfort, IU West, and IU North,” his wife says. “He loves the unpredictability of his job and the feeling when he can help someone!”
Tyson, a Project Manager at Purdue University, hails from Cicero, Indiana, a small lakefront community. Tyson grew up heavily involved in 4-H and FFA. Tyson’s journey to West Lafayette began in 2005 when she came to Purdue for her bachelor’s degree and stayed on to build her career in the College of Engineering. As part of her role, she plans, executes, and evaluates projects that impact student success. “My favorite project is coordinating the Purdue Kiewit Scholar program, because I get to teach leadership and professional development to a great group of students in construction majors,” she says.
The couple’s paths crossed during Chuck’s last year in nursing school through an online dating site. They were both in their thirties, and Tyson had almost given up on online dating when she stumbled on Chuck’s profile and decided to message him. Chuck had only been on the online dating site for a few months and likes to tell people, “It’s easy to find someone.” Tyson, who was on the online dating site for years before finding Chuck, begs to differ! Although Chuck had planned to return to sunny Orlando after getting his nursing degree, falling in love with Tyson rerouted his plans.
The couple’s daughter Tinsley was born in March 2023. She is a very happy little girl who loves to be outdoors and enjoys both story time and playing in the water. Her parents love to put on a catchy tune and watch her clap her hands and dance to the music. She spends her days playing, napping, and watching Bluey. The name Tinsley comes from Tyson’s side of the family and was the last name of a distant great-grandfather, William Tinsley. He was an architect of many U.S. college campus buildings and churches, including Center Hall at Wabash College and Christ Church Cathedral on the Circle in Indianapolis.
The couple’s daughter Tinsley was born in March 2023. She is a very happy little girl who loves to be outdoors and enjoys both story time and playing in the water. Her parents love to put on a catchy tune and watch her clap her hands and dance to the music. She spends her days playing, napping, and watching Bluey. The name Tinsley comes from Tyson’s side of the family and was the last name of a distant great-grandfather, William Tinsley. He was an architect of many U.S. college campus buildings and churches, including Center Hall at Wabash College and Christ Church Cathedral on the Circle in Indianapolis.
“Tinsley was the driving force for our move to Raineybrook in November 2023,” Tyson says. “We had heard that the school corporation was great and that the neighborhood is full of kids! We also have some really good friends who live in the neighborhood already and have kids around Tinsley’s age. We also love how close it is to 231, because my parents live in Crawfordsville and Chuck’s parents live in West Lafayette.”
Though they haven’t lived here long, the family really enjoys taking walks through the neighborhood. “We fell in love with our house and especially with its backyard full of trees,” Chuck adds. “We have already spent many evenings on the back porch relaxing and watching Tinsley play.”
When it comes to traditions, spending time with their families is high on the list of priorities, with many family gatherings throughout the year. They also love going to county fairs and the Tipton Pow Wow. Each year, Chuck and Tyson attend GenCon, a board game convention in Indianapolis. “We also look forward to handing out candy at Halloween; we heard this neighborhood has a lot of kids who come out that night,” Tyson says.
If you pass by their home, you might just get to meet Ryker, the family’s retired racing Greyhound. They adopted him in 2018, after a leg injury put him into early retirement, where he has a bed in every room and gets to eat lots of treats. “We take him on daily walks, and you’re welcome to pet him,” his mom says. “He’s a sweetheart and we love him very much!”
When it comes to traditions, spending time with their families is high on the list of priorities, with many family gatherings throughout the year. They also love going to county fairs and the Tipton Pow Wow. Each year, Chuck and Tyson attend GenCon, a board game convention in Indianapolis. “We also look forward to handing out candy at Halloween; we heard this neighborhood has a lot of kids who come out that night,” Tyson says.
If you pass by their home, you might just get to meet Ryker, the family’s retired racing Greyhound. They adopted him in 2018, after a leg injury put him into early retirement, where he has a bed in every room and gets to eat lots of treats. “We take him on daily walks, and you’re welcome to pet him,” his mom says. “He’s a sweetheart and we love him very much!”