Charles Lee Charlie Paph
June 17, 1941 ~ April 1, 2011
WILSEY - Paph, Charles Lee “Charlie”, 69, passed away Friday, April 1, 2011. Visitation with the family in Wichita, 6-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 6, Downing Lahey Mortuary West. Another visitation will be held at Penwell-Gabel in Council Grove, 7-9 p.m., Thursday, April 7. Service, 10 a.m., Friday, April 8, Wilsey United Methodist Church. (All services will be casual dress). Charles was born on June 17, 1941 to Henry Paph and Anne Pettit at his grandparents farm in Alva, OK. He and his sister, Doris Jean, grew up in Wichita. His mother, Anne, passed away in 1952 and Henry remarried to Joyce Sturdevant. Charlie was later blessed with a younger sister, Sara Kim, in 1962. Charlie graduated from East High School and went to Kansas State University where he graduated in 1965 with a degree in civil engineering. He married Jeanne Tranter in 1962 and they later divorced in 1974. Charlies first significant job was with Coonrod and Walz and their subsidiary, The Wheatland Company, as an estimator/project manager. Being born in Oklahoma, as well as spending considerable time on his fraternal grandparents wheat farm, Charlie developed a life-long desire to farm. He started work with the Neosho Construction Company in 1978 as chief estimator/project manager in Council Grove. He made the move to Council Grove in hopes of fulfilling his dream of owning a farm. It was here that he met and married the love of his life, Karen Emilie Winter. Both Charlie and Karen had children from previous marriages and together they created a family with seven children. Charlie bought his first farm from Bernard Meysing in 1979. Over the years, the farm grew to 840 acres. Charlie returned to Wichita in 1985 when he went to work for the Law Company as an estimator. He worked at the Law Company until his retirement in 2008. In addition to Karen and farming, one of Charlies other passions was drag racing and car collecting. His love of cars and racing began when Charlie was in college and continued the rest of his life. As Charlie set down roots at the farm, he also continued his support and dedication to Kansas State University. He was a die-hard Wildcat fan and wore his purple proudly. Charlie was exceptionally blessed to have made so many good friends throughout his lifetime. He was a very lucky man to have been surrounded by so much love and fellowship. Charles Paph is survived by his stepmother, Joyce Paph; sisters, Doris Conyers (Glen) of Joplin, MO, Sara Merkel (Jack) of Chesapeake, VA; wife, Karen; children, Harvey Carson of Emporia, Michael Paph (Sonya) of Manhattan, Christina Brown (Kevin) of Mansfield, TX, Susannah Carson and Lara Littlejohn (Gary) both of Wichita, Kristopher Carson of Kansas City, KS, Nathan Winter (Megan) of Prairie Village; 15 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren, as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. In lieu of flowers, memorials established with Wilsey United Methodist Church, 219 N. 7th, Wilsey, KS 66873 and Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202.
(Wichita) Visitation with the family, 6:00-8:30 P.M., Wednesday, April 6, Downing Lahey Mortuary West. (Council Grove) Visitation with the family, 7:00-9:00 P.M., Thursday, April 7, Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home
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Karen, Charlie was a wonderful husband and friend to you. He enriched the lives of all the people that he knew. To know him was to love him. May he now rest in peace
Hello Jeanne and family, I just read Sunday’s paper and see Charlie has passed away. I am sorry to hear that he was still young by our standards. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. I lost Bill February 11th and the past two months have been very difficult. Perhaps he and Max Chisum have gotten back together and are enjoying cars and racing again. Max, Charlie and I had a lot of fun in the early 60’s. Jeanne, please give me a call. Again to all your families sorry to hear of Charlie’s death.
My wife and I did not know Charles and his wife that well, but his daughter Tina Married our son and she has been a good representation of him to us. We pray that Karen has the straight to go on, with the vision of the farm he had.
I am so sorry to hear of Charlie\’s passing. Although it\’s been many years since I last saw Charlie and Karen, I remember them as very special, warm and welcoming people. Charlie was easy going, fun to be around and a friend to all who knew him. The world has lost a truly wonderful man. My thoughts and prayers go out to Karen and family.
I had the good fortune of working with Charlie for 12 years and getting to know him and his wonderful wife, Karen. Charlie was filled to the brim of his John Deere cap with goodness, honesty, fairness and an old fashioned work ethic. The world will be a sadder – and dull – place without Charlie. My heart and prayers are with you, Karen, and the rest of the family.
Charlie was my brother-in-law, Karen being my sister. They made the perfect couple and he was the salt-of-the-earth. He took over the raising of her five children and was a saint. We all LOVED Charlie! There’s a hole in Karen’s life now, that we’ll all strive to help her overcome. She’s a strong woman though and they’ve raised a strong family to help her now.