Curtis Lee Charles

Funeral sevice for Curtis Lee Charles will be held 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 20, at the MMS-Payne Funeral Home Chapel. Burial with military honors by the VFW 5th District Rifle Squad will follow at Ghormley Cemetery, Pensacola. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Sun. 1-6 p.m., and family will greet friends 4-6 p.m.

Curtis passed away Wed., October 15, 2014, at the age of 75.

The son of Dee Gordon and Alma Florence (Adams) Charles was born January 3, 1939 in Pryor, Oklahoma. As a young man Curtis was raised in northeast Oklahoma near the town Big Cabin. He attended Big Cabin schools where he participated in basketball and baseball. He excelled at baseball so much that after graduation he tried out for the Kansas City Royals baseball team. Shortly after that venture ended Curtis began working in Alaska on the Alaskan pipeline. Later he returned home and began working at Eastern State Hospital in Vinita. There he met Lois Johnston. They married April 7, 1961. However the honeymoon was short, for Curtis was called to serve in the United States Army. Within a few days after the wedding Curtis was shipped to an Army base in Germany. Lois would join him a few months later. After his discharge Curtis and Lois returned to Oklahoma settling in Tulsa. Curtis began working as a salesman for Tulsa Chrome. In 1972 wanting to move out of the city Curtis and his family moved to Claremore. Later he would begin working for the City of Claremore, and ended up as sexton at the city cemetery. Curtis was an avid outdoorsman, and always looked forward to his next outdoor adventure. Some of his favorites were camping with his family, especially in the state of Minnesota. Hunting and fishing were a couple of his other favorite pasttimes, as were gardening, woodworking and selling produce at the local farmers market.. He was also a member of the Classic Antique Stock Tractor Association, know as "CASTA". His favorite tractor was one that belonged to his father-in-law, which was a 1955 Model 60.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Dee and Alma Charles; and brother, Gene Charles.

Survivors include his wife Lois of the home, children, Kristi McGonigle and husband Chuck of Catoosa, Kathi Turner and husband Willie of Catoosa, and Jason Charles and wife Crystal of Chelsea; brothers, J.D Charles of Sequoyah, Wayne Charles and wife Charlotte of Glenpool, and Alvin Charles and wife Virginia of Tulsa; sisters, Joy Simmons and husband Leroy of Salina, Karen Boyd of Claremore, Glenda Sappington and husband Wayne of Claremore; sister-in-law, Ann Charles of Broken Arrow; grandchildren, Shalane, Madison, Kaydeeann, Kati Jo, Cheyanne, Buzz "Curtis", Willie Dee, Jake, Stacie, Levi, Jaci, and Cavender, with one great-grandson Bam coming soon. There are also a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.