Charles Stauffer
Charles Stauffer, affectionately known by some as Charlie and by his military friends as Chuck, 93 years old, passed away on January 6, 2022, at his home in Cherokee, Oklahoma.
He was preceded in passing by his wife, Loretta Webster Stauffer, his parents, and brother, LeRoy.
He is survived by his daughter, Melinda and her husband, Scott, of Dallas, his son, Steve and his wife, Tammy, of Ringwood, his granddaughter, Jessica and her husband, Jon and his great-granddaughter, Isabel, of Tulsa, his grandson, Brandon and his wife, Laura, of Oklahoma City, his step-granddaughter Amy Johnson and her husband, Chase, of Okeene, his step-great grandchildren, Stetson and Madeline and Sarah Lamle and her husband, Nick, of Isabella, his step-great grandchildren, Cash and Darci, and his sister, Elmerta Haxton, of Oklahoma City. He is also survived by a nephew and numerous nieces.
Charles led a full and productive life, including service in the Air Force, farming/ranching, building a business selling Chrysler products and Allis Chalmers/Case farm products.
They loved to go boating, water skiing and camp at the Great Salt Plains Lake & Canton Lake
His favorite activity was flying his private plane, taking his family to many places for vacations, taking local people to doctor appointments or wherever they needed to go, or just flying for fun. As his daughter often has said, “He did not know you could drive places.” He enjoyed moving up the ranks in the Masonry, becoming a Master Mason. He pursued and achieved the 32nd degree, Scottish Rite Freemasonry. He later became a Shriner, participating in an Arab parade patrol group in Oklahoma City, India Shrine, and a mini-motorcycle parade patrol group in Enid, Akdar Shrine. He, later in life, would transport and escort families to the Shriners Children’s Hospitals in Shreveport, La. and Galveston, Tx., serving others, which he enjoyed doing, particularly to help those children needing the services of the Shriners Children’s Hospitals. He continued to be active in his home and community until his passing, enjoying the many lunches at the Fairview Senior Center and helping out his son, Steve, when needed, running errands.
He and his wife, Loretta, were high school sweethearts and had the joy of celebrating more than 70 years of marriage. They moved to Burkburnett, Texas when Charles enrolled in the Air Force. Both of their children were born in Wichita Falls, Texas, while Charles was in the Air Force there. Following his honorable discharge, they returned to Cherokee to begin farming with his father. They took great pride in their children, grandchildren, and great grandchild and step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren. It gave them great pleasure to have all of the family together to celebrate their family events or to just enjoy family company.
Loretta preceded Charles in her journey to heaven, passing away at the Fairview Fellowship Home on February 12, 2020, following a brief illness. She was preceded in passing by her parents and brother, Leroy Webster. She made a major impact in her children’s lives by being a Scout leader and often, a parent sponsor for classes in school, for their son, Steve, and being sure that their daughter, Melinda, made it to all of her various musical contests, even forging a snow storm to make it to Weatherford for a competition. Loretta was steadfast in being there for Melinda at the numerous piano and voice contests throughout her junior and senior high school years. She never missed a recital. She was a member of Eastern Star and Daughters of the Nile and helped her daughter out with numerous Rainbow functions. Loretta was also there helping out with every Boy Scout and FFA activity that Steve was involved in. Including helping him diligently put together his FFA Scrapbook. She was always there for Charles, regardless of what he needed or what she was doing. Memories of preparing tailgate meals for the men in the field, recalling the most fabulous spread from a tailgate that could be imagined. She took great pride in the preparation of those meals and not a detail was missed. Her sister-in-law, Elmerta Haxton, remembered her as being like a sister to her.
Their children would like to thank all who looked in on them through the years, and, especially, Charles in the past few years, including: Clayton and Makala Kolb, Boyde Highful, and Carol Bowers, to name a few.
Memorial service will be celebrated at First Christian Church, Cherokee, 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 9, 2022.
Memorial donations may be made in Charles or Loretta’s name to Shriners Hospitals of Shreveport, Louisiana (3100 Stamford Ave, Shreveport, Louisiana 71103) or Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas Texas (2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, Texas 75219).