Charles “Charley” Edward Girdner 1930- 2019

GIRDNER, NORRIS, PROPST

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 1/31/2020 at 11:04:20

Onawa Democrat
8 January 2020

Charles “Charley” Edward Girdner, 89, of Onawa, Iowa, passed away Monday, December 30, 2019 at his residence.

Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday, January 4, 2020 at the Church of Jesus Christ in Onawa, Iowa with Minister Jocquelyn “Jacque” Girdner and Pastor Maxine Burow, officiating. Burial will be in the Belvidere Cemetery, rural Turin, Iowa. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service, Onawa, Iowa.

Our most beloved Husband, Father, Grampa, Great-Grampa, and friend, Charles Ed-ward Girdner, was born February 6, 1930, at his home in Mill Grove, Missouri, the son of Clara (Norris) and Ralph Girdner.

He attended 1st through 8th grades in Mill Grove and graduated from Princeton, MO High School in 1948. He worked 1 year for the Missouri Conservation Commission, Development Section, when he was called to the Army, stationed in Virginia at Camp Pickett, served as trainer of troops and later as Company Clerk, 1952-54.

Charley met Jocquelyn Propst in St. Charles, MO in 1949, when she returned to her home where he had been renting a room from her parents during a conservation job in the St. Charles area. This “Love at First Sight”, just as God had purposed, resulted in marriage May 26, 1951, in that same home’s living room. The blessing of the birth of 4 children, Teresa, Marcelyn, Michelle, and Jed resulted through the next several years. Also, during these productive years, Charley attended Iowa Falls Junior College and Buena Vista to get a BA degree and was hired as a Business, Economics, and Typing teacher in the Onawa High School (1959). After 10 years, he resigned from his chosen and enjoyable profession to begin a new challenging opportunity, as a successful Insurance Agent for Ohio National Life Insurance Co. until he retired in his 80’s.

Charley’s lifelong love of all God’s creation involved pets, dogs, a pony, horses, and wildlife which was transferred to his passion for hunting, always with respect for the animals and their environment. His love for the outdoors and his feeling of connection with God there, has made a most wonderful memory for these last years in our rides together. This love and awe for creation extended to all his family, for which he was always responsible. Somehow the grandchildren recognized their Grampa Charley’s love for his gifts, them, and would climb on his lap, sometime by the 2’s and 3’s, and more; in these later years, they just really wanted to. Those 17: Nick, Rena, Keha, Hekili, Kaua, Jessica, Amanda, David, and Roman, Samson, Titus, Clara, Alina , Emmi, Lily, Iris, and Lazer, with each of us, now have many memories, both told and lived out, to remember and celebrate.

In all of his life, he was given a level of respect because he was seeking, not always succeeding, the Way, doing and being right with God, and under his exterior was the sweetest, tender loving heart. Thank You, God for Charley.

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