Chuck L. Esarey

Charles “Chuck” Laverne Esarey, age 80, of Anderson passed away peacefully at 1:26am on Saturday, February 26, 2022, while in the arms of his loving daughter, Jami. Chuck was born on October 27, 1941 in English, IN (where the hoot owls chase the chickens) to his parents, Charles Coin Esarey & Nova Faye (Sherron) Esarey. Chuck grew up in Marion, IN. He was the third child; with an older brother & sister, and a younger brother & sister. He loved his siblings dearly, had a healthy respect for his father, and admired his mother with his whole heart.

Anyone who knew Chuck would tell you about his meticulous work ethic. This showed up very early in his life, as he had his first job as a paperboy when we was just 9 years old. Chuck graduated from Marion High School in the Class of 1960. By the time Chuck made his way to high school, he had fully embraced his God given leadership skills. He was in the glee club, played basketball, ran cross country & track, and was president of his class all 4 years. He of course did all of this while still maintaining a job. He put in lots of hours every week at Ritter’s A&W Root Beer Stand.

After Chuck graduated from high school he studied business at Ball State University. He definitely utilized everything he learned and applied it well to his everyday life. Every job Chuck had he worked his way up to a management position. His first job after college was at A&P Grocery Store in Elwood, IN. He often joked that he quickly worked his way up to store manager, and sometimes felt too young for the responsibility. He had to rely on his older employees to handle all the alcohol sales because he wasn’t yet 21 years old.

It was during Chuck’s time at A&P that he met his first wife, Karen Wood. The two shared 17 years of marriage. They didn’t always see eye to eye, but always agreed that they had three beautiful daughters, and for that, they were thankful for their time together!

After Chuck left A&P he went to work for Mr. Steak in Marion, IN. He was manager and gained a reputation for working right along side his employees. In 1969 Chuck was given the opportunity to begin working for Fisher Guide in Anderson, IN. It was almost like every other job he had had prior was in preparation for this job! He, of course quickly worked his way up to management, and became a foreman. He took so much pride in his position, and was very thankful to work for one of “the big 3.” He loved being a GM man! He was well known for handling his departments well, and treating his employees fairly. There were only a few times that the stress of the job got to him. Even during those times he kept a cool head, and was the person others could depend on to be the problem solver!

After Chuck retired from Fisher Guide, he became a maintenance man for Gold Key in Anderson. For the stage of life he was in at the time, this job was a great fit. He was able to use all of his skills to help others. Whether it was plumbing, electrical, painting, drywall, or flooring he was “the man!” He often joked that it was a good thing he retired because this job kept him busier than all the others put together! This business was largely because he simply could not tell anyone NO! If there was a need, he wanted to help. He not only enjoyed sharing his skillset with others, he found it extremely rewarding to help people in their time of need without taking advantage of their wallet!

It was around this time when something very unexpected happened in Chuck’s life. He met the love of his life, Beverley Robinson. After a fast courtship, the two were married on April 23, 2009. To all who watched their relationship unfold, it was obvious that the devotion, respect, and unconditional love Chuck had been searching for his whole life had finally been found!

Chuck had many interests, gifts and talents. He loved to go fishing, camping and boating (his Ranger boat was his favorite). The only thing that made those activities more enjoyable is if family and friends were involved. He also enjoyed the study of history, world history as well as family ancestry & genealogy. Thankfully, his commitment has left behind a roadmap for all the generations to come!

Chuck had many attributes that made him extremely fun to spend time with. Comedy always led the way no matter what he was up to. He wasn’t a morning person, yet he was often heard singing around the house at the start of the day. Even if he had just spent $200 at the grocery store, he would find an excuse to go out to eat. Going to see a movie was always a good choice! Even if the movie was bad, you still had the popcorn and drink! Chuck had just as much valuable knowledge as he had useless, and you would have a hard time finding a man that enjoyed talking more. He was an excellent storyteller and had an excellent memory. A long ride in the country would intel a history lesson of some sort, probably a pitstop for a Dr. Pepper, and always an expression of love and emotion; something he got better at with age….which was completely endearing! He was goal oriented. In life, this meant putting forth effort every day to be better than he was the day before. Compassion & Humility were his favorite words, as well as the sentiment he applied to every relationship in his life. His faith in God was strong, deeply personal, and sacred to his heart. He had the gift of encouragement. He was a good listener, and could motivate others to give their best effort. He was blunt, honest, and full of wisdom. He definitely left others better than how he found them sheerly because of his positivity!

If you knew Chuck Esarey your life was simply better for it! He has left a legacy of love that the following family members, (addressed by the nicknames Chuck lovingly gave to each of them) feel very privileged to pass on to future generations…..Wife, Beverley “The Bride” Esarey; Children, Debbie “ChaLou” (Jim “Jungle”) Haulk, Jami “JammerSue” Loveland, Tanya “Tang” Cowan, London “Terminator” (Brian “B”) Nelson, Michael “ChaMikey” (Carissa “Trisha Yearwood”) Leslie; Grandchildren, Tory “The Tor” Esarey, Joshua “Joshariah” Loveland, Zachary “Zachariah” Loveland, Blayne “Sparky” (Hannah “Hannahbarbera”) Cowan, Clayton “Clay Baby” Cowan, Miriam “Lil M” Cowan, Katie “Katiebug” (Vince “V”) Portish, Hannah “The Model” Dial, Ericka “Baconator” Dial, Kyleigh “Kylester” Leslie, Whitlee Ann “Whitilator” Leslie, Samantha Rose “Lil Monster” Leslie, Dallas “The Legend” Woods; Great Grandchildren, Ona “Ona pull my hair” Esarey, Andre “Andre the Giant” Esarey, Amara “Lil A” Leslie; Brother, Fallis “Shoo Baby” Esarey; Brother & Sister In Laws, Tom “D Head” (Paula “Hey Paula”) McMullen, Billie “BJ” Esarey, Ann “Auntie Ann” (Jack “Popack”) Larimore, John “Big John” (Lou Anna “The Blonde”) Robinson, Colin “Colon” (Darlene “Reenie Beanie”) Robinson, June “Junebug” (Dwight “DA”) Ray, Karen “The Youngest” (Eric “E”) Robinson; Best Friends, Bill & JoAnn Salyers, Roger & Elnora Clark, Brooks Townsend.

Chuck was welcomed into Heaven by his parents, Charles & Nova Esarey; siblings, Brenda Kelly, Rita McMullen, Cameron Esarey; son-In-law, Artie “King Arthur” Loveland; in laws, Tom & Molly Robinson; and dear friend, Pam Townsend.

A funeral service celebrating Chuck's life will be held on Friday, March 4, 2022 at 12:00 noon at Taylor & Cowan Funeral Home located at 314 N. Main St. in Tipton, IN, with Pastor David MyGrant officiating. Visitations for family and friends will take place on Thursday, March 3, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Friday, March 4, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 noon at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Maplewood East Cemetery in Anderson, IN immediately following the service. 

Please feel free to leave an online condolence or share a special memory of Chuck with his family on his tribute wall.

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” ~Christopher Reeves

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