Charles Tanner-Dorn

TANNER, DORN, PIPPIG, LOCKWOOD, OTHON, ODELL, JONES, KRENZ, BROWNING, HUTTON, YOUNG

Posted By: Ruth Maring - VOLUNTEER
Date: 4/26/2010 at 16:54:41

Charles Tanner-Dorn

Charles A. Tanner-Dorn, 74, formerly of Hanford, California, died Friday, April 16, 2010, at his home in Clinton after battling a long illness.

Memorial Services will be 5 pm, Thursday, April 22, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church in Clinton. Visitation will be 4-7 pm, Wednesday at the Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes and Crematory. Cremation will take place immediately after the visitation and an urn burial will be in the Springdale Cemetery on Thursday at 11 am. Serving as honorary pallbearers are his nephews: James Young, Steven and Matthew Dorn, Jacob Wallace, Kenny Salisbury, Caleb Tanner, Robert Tanner III, and Lucas Flores.

A California Memorial Service will be held at 5 pm, Friday, April 30, 2010, at the First United Methodist Church in Hanford, California. 505 North Redington St .559-584-4075.

Charles Andrew Dorn was born February, 17, 1936, in Calwa, California, the eldest son of Arliss Raymond and Hilarita Mary (Pippig) Dorn. He married Susan Lockwood Tanner on December 29, 1979, in Tollhouse, California.

Charlie was a 1953 graduate of San Joaquin Memorial High School. He then attended Ryan’s Seminary for two years and was a 1962 graduate of St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, CA where he received a Master’s of Divinity. While in the seminary at Camarillo, Charlie went to Mexico to learn Spanish by immersion. He served as a Roman Catholic priest in the San Joaquin Valley where he devoted himself to working with the Hispanic youth. During those 14 years he was assigned to St. Mary’s of Visalia; St. Rita’s of Tulare; Sacred Heart of Fresno and St. Elizabeth’s of McFarland.

Charlie kept a scrapbook chronicling the lives of his nieces and nephews and took them camping and ice-skating. He felt the desire for an immediate family of his own. In Charlie's words "I felt the Lord had better plans for me and I knew that was true the day I met Susan". After Charlie and Susan began their lives together he served as a minister of the United Methodist Church for over a decade. He served as the Director of Hospice in Tulare Co. before teaching a bi-lingual 1st grade class for 9 years in the same school where Susan taught. After retirement he continued to serve part time as a Methodist Minister at San Pablo UMC in Selma. There are numerous things that Charlie loved throughout his lifetime: trains of all sizes, plane and car models, crafts, the outdoors, camping, singing and playing his 12 string guitar. But the one true passion he had in his life was his wife, Susan. As his illness progressed, it took away his strength, leaving him unable to even shift around in bed. When his energy level was so low that even opening his eyes was a task, the one thing that would give him strength to open them and bring a smile to his face was the sound of Susan's voice.

Charlie, a true Bible scholar, was a member of the California-Nevada Methodist Conference. A born “tinkerer”, he could fix anything; if his children could break it, he could fix it.

Charlie is survived by his wife Susan Tanner-Dorn of Clinton; three daughters: Krista L. (Geno) Othon of Clinton; Rainbow E.R. (Kevin) Odell of Fresno, California; and Gloria A.F. (Jeremy) Jones of Temecula, California; one son: Eric C.W. (Taryn) Krenz, II of Clinton; eight grandchildren: Azrielle Browning; Isabella, Lillia, and Olivia Othon; Stone and Cade Hutton; and Tatiyanna and Aaliyah Jones; a brother, Thomas (Judy) Dorn; a sister, Margaret (Les) Young; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Christina R. Browning, his parents, and a nephew Anthony M. Dorn.

Memorials may be made to Heart and Hands at the First United Methodist Church in Clinton.

Online condolences may be left by visiting his obituary at www.snellzornig.com

Obituary by Eric Krenz, II