Charles E. Childs: 1921 – 2010
Charles E. Childs, 88, a former resident of Gaston and widely acquainted Gaston businessman and community leader, passed away at 4:15 a. m. on Thursday, June 10, 2010, at the St. Anne Home in Fort Wayne. He had been in decliing health for some time, and had been a resident there since December 2008.
Mr. Childs was born in Matthews on July 1, 1921, the youngest of 11 children born to Oliver Morton and Junietta Ruth (Morris) Childs. He spent his formative years in that community, and graduated from Jefferson Township High School in 1939. Upon his graduation he worked for a period in a grocery store and meat market in Muncie, and on his twenty first birthday, was inducted into the U. S. Army during World War II.
He served as an enlisted man, private 1st class, corporal, sergeant, and staff sergeant. Initially discharged in Germany at the conclusion of the war, he was inducted back into the U. S. Army and received a battlefield commission upon the recommendation and under the command of General George S. Patton, Jr., and by an act of congress. Serving in the European Theater and in the Battle of Germany, he was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
On September 9, 1945 he was married in Gaston to Barbara Ann Rench. The couple lived in Columbia, South Carolina for a period, and following his military discharge in 1946, moved to Gaston where they spent all of their adult lives. As a young man he joined his father-in-law A. M. Rench, in the family’s lumber and hardware business in Gaston. Along with his wife, the couple owned and operated the former Gaston-Rench Lumber Company in Gaston for over 40 years until his retirement in 1990.
In addition to his family and business concerns, his life was marked by active participation in church and community affairs. He was a member of the Gaston United Methodist Church, where he had held a variety of administrative positions, taught Church School, and sang in its Chancel Choir. He was a member of Matthews Lodge 650 F&AM, Purity Order of the Eastern Star 126 in Hartford City, and had been an active volunteer in a variety of civic activities throughout his adult life.
In 1980 he and his wife were honored as the Gaston Citizens of the Year. At that celebration he said, “The Lord has run my life far better than I could have. I say it, I believe it, and I try to live by it. I am far the richer, and I know the happier, for it.”
In his leisure time he found joy in lawn work, dining out, church activities, spending occasional weekends at Epworth Forest, and supporting Gaston and Wes-Del athletic teams. Most of all he will be remembered as a patient man who never raised his voice, and was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and a friend to many.
Mrs. Childs preceded him in death on November 14, 2008.
The surviving relatives include his son and daughter-in-law C. Gregory and Dr Jeanine Childs of Churubusco; a brother Robert C. (Ruby) Childs of Warren; a sister Illon Freese of Hartford City; and three grandsons Drew (Becca) Childs of Indianapolis, Perry Childs of Churubusco, and Joel (Brittany) Childs of Huntington.
In addition to his parents and spouse, he was preceded in death by four brothers Earl O. W. Childs, Herman L. Childs, LD Childs, and O. Morris Childs; and by four sisters infants Neva and Nina Childs, Delight Gadbury, and Elizabeth Losh.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p. m. on Sunday, June 13, 2010, at the Gaston United Methodist Church, 107 N. Main Street, Gaston, with Rev. John Long, officiating.
The family will receive friends at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco on Saturday from 2 to 5 p. m., or at the church two hours prior to the service Sunday afternoon.
Interment will be in the Thompson Cemetery, west of Gaston.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to the Gaston United Methodist Church, 107 N. Main Street, Gaston, IN 47342; or Taylor University Department of Music, 236 W. Reade Avenue, Upland, IN 46989.
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To leave an online condolence for the family in Mr. Childs’ memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .
June 10th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Greg, Jeanine, and family,
We are so sorry for the loss of Greg’s father.
Remembering you in our thoughts and prayers,
Susan and Craig Courtney
June 10th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Dear Greg and family,
We are so sorry to learn of Uncle Chuck’s passing but I know you are relieved his suffering is over and that he can join Aunt Barbara now. He will always be remembered and loved for his warm sense of humor, his smile, and for the gentleman he was.
Our prayers are with you.
Love
Mary Jo and family
June 11th, 2010 at 8:28 am
Greg,
Please accept my condolences of loss of your Father. I will keep you in my prayers.
Sincerely,
Bud
June 11th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Dear Greg, Jeanine and family,
The newspaper article on the passing of your father
brought back many wonderful memories of your parents and of your days in Yorktown. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
Betty Sollars
June 11th, 2010 at 10:32 am
Greg
I’m sorry to hear of your father’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
June 11th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Greg,
What a lovely man your father was. Thank you so much for allowing all if us at Saint Anne’s to be a part of his life. We all miss him tremendously. All our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Sincerely,
Lisa Budde
June 11th, 2010 at 11:29 am
Greg, Jeanine, and family,
My sincere condolences of your loss. Sarah and I have you in our prayers.
Sincerely,
Chris & Sarah Tomlinson
June 11th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Greg,
Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of Chuck. His smile and wonderful ways will be missed. You and the family are in my prayers.
Joanne
June 11th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Greg you and your family have our deepest sympathy.
June 11th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Greg,
So sorry to hear about your dad, I know you have the best memories, as we all do. You and your family are in my prayers
Dee
June 11th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Greg, Jeanine, and family,
I was saddened to read about the death of your father. My condolences, prayers, and thoughts are with you during this time.
Wes
June 11th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Greg,
You are in my thoughts and prayers upon the passing of your father. May you find comfort in friends and family that surround you and in knowing the peace that passes all understanding in Christ Jesus.
Linda
June 11th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Greg, I remember your dad as a real gentleman, and a class act.-Kirk
June 11th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Dear Greg and family,
We are all very sorry to hear about the loss of your father and our true long time family friend.
Chuck was a gracious, lovely, caring gentle man who meant more to our dad (Donal Winningham) than he probably ever knew. Daddy never said much but when he spoke of Chuck it was with pride, respect ang genuine feeling of love and frienship. Through there many years together Chuck was never just dad’s employer.
In this time of your loss know that we are all thinking of you.
We will forever remember Chuck for all that he was and all he did for our family.
Our dad’s both now share a home together.
Sincerely,
Imogene and daughters, Joyce Hiatt, Betty Smith, Cecely Johnso, Virginia Cleland, Donna Lucas
June 11th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Greg,
Sorry to hear of your father’s passing. I know these past few years have been difficult for him (and you). . . regardless, we never seem to be ready for the loss of our parents.
May you sense God’s presence during this time as you deal with a death in a different than funeral director’s position.
June 11th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Greg,
As I read the above condolence from my sister I started to think of my own personal memories of Chuck and the thought crossed my mind…the last person in my life that always called me “Donna Sue” is now gone. I don’t remember my life without your dad being a part of it. Both of your parents and your grandmother were all great influences in my life. I attended church every Sunday with Chuck and Barbara for most of my life and they were always there to greet me with big bright smiles. That’s the way I want to remember your father…sitting next to your mother smiling like he was the luckiest man on earth…we should all know that kind of love.
In Loving Memory
Donna Sue Lucas
June 11th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Dear Gregg and Family,
Ginny and I are saddened to hear of the loss of your father, Chuck. He was a wonderful man who had a very positive impact on the Community, the church and all the people who knew and loved him. He lived a blessed life and earned the respect of many. He will be missed by a lot of people and Ginny and I feel priviledged to have known him. He meant a lot to Ginny and her family and they always knew he would be there if they needed him. You have been a lucky person to have had him as your father and to model your life after. May God bless you and your family.
June 11th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Greg and Family,
Sorry to hear of your Father’s death. You are in my prayers.
Love y’all,
Dr. Sue
June 11th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Greg and family
I am so sorry for your loss of your father. Now your mom and dad can be together and rest in peace.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Sincerely
Dixanna Morgan
June 11th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Dear Greg and family:
My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. So sorry to hear of your father’s passing. He is just away you’ll see him again at the dawning of a brighter day.
Sincerely,
Bonnie Spoerke
June 11th, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Dear Greg, Jeanine, Drew, Becca, Perry, Joel & Brittany,
What beautiful thoughts and stories your friends have to share about Chuck. I wish I could have known him. What a sweetheart he was to all who knew him. Paul & I are thinking of all of you as you prepare for Chuck’s viewing & funeral.
We love you,
Cyndi
June 12th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Dear Greg, Jeanine, and family,
I was saddened to hear of the passing of your father. He was such a gentleman. I have many fond memories of his kind and caring ways from our years at Taylor.
My love and prayers are with you,
Gary
June 12th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Dear Gregory and Jeanine,
Our prayers are with you during this time of sorrow. Sunday’s Mass will be for your father. God bless you both.
Fr. Michel
June 12th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Greg and Family,
We are sorry to hear of the loss of your father. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.
Greg and Julie Veerkamp
June 12th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Greg
From what i read about your father he was one you could proud of and will be missed by you and your family God Bless all of you at this time.
Ruth
June 12th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
Greg & family, We were very sorry to read of the passing of your father. We were unable to make it to the calling or the funeral because of other commitments, but you are certaintly in our prayers. God bless all of you. Sincerely, Jerry and Rose Jacobs Monroeville, IN
June 14th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Please accept our deepest sympathy.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Greg
So sorry to hear of your fathers’ death. We did not know him but know that it is not an easy task to see a loved one leave no matter how old. You are in our prayers. May His peace comfort you in ways you didn’t know possible…..Sincerely, Don and Vickie Troyer
June 15th, 2010 at 8:28 am
Greg, Jeanine & family,
We are so sorry to hear of your loss. We will keep your family in our prayers.
June 17th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Greg and family,
We are sorry to hear of your loss. We were out of town and didn’t find out until we returned. We are praying for you and trusting that God is comforting each of you during this difficult time. May God bless you.
June 19th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Oh dearest Greg and family,
I am so ashamed of myself for not making it over to the home to see your father..I remember fondly the day that you came to see my father when he passed away. May you know that he is in a much better place and that you have our prayers and sympathy . Debbie Frazier (Tom, Rick and Doug)
June 23rd, 2010 at 10:53 pm
Greg and Jeanine,
Some time has now passed, and you have had some time to process this life changing event. Know that God is with you, embracing and comforting you in your times of need. Your Dad will also always be in your heart. Like the light of God, let the great parts of your dad you have inherited shine bright from your soul. I am sure you have made him very proud.
God Bless.
Your friend,
Michael