Submitted by: Dan Rich

Charles Albert Starkweather

April 14, 1925 - Sept. 28, 2001

South Bend Tribune 10/2/2001

Charles Albert Starkweather, 76, of 2040 Dayton Road, Buchanan, Mich., died of natural causes on Friday, Sept. 28, in Lakeland Medical.

He was born on April 14, 1925, in Mishawaka, Ind., and was a lifelong resident of this area. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Carol Starkweather; his parents, Charles Starkweather and Nora Papczynski; grandchildren, Gary and Tony Starkweather; and by his brothers, Bill and Ed Starkweather.

On March 11, 1944, in South Bend, Ind., he married Ruth Burks, who survives. He is also survived by children, Albert "Al" (Bonnie) Starkweather, Tim (Linda) Starkweather and Audrey Starkweather, all of Buchanan, and Chuck (Linda) Starkweather of Temple, Texas; stepdaughters, Gail Gray of Buchanan and Judy Shobe of Palm Springs, Calif.; a sister, Betty Russell of South Bend; and by 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He had served in the U.S. Army during World War II, field artillery. He spent 10 years with Warren Township Schools; five years with the Warren Township Fire Department; 18 years as a ranger at Camp Madron, Boy Scouts of America; 20 years at Buchanan Schools; four years with the Buchanan City Fire Department; 10 years with the Berrien County Sheriff's and Weesaw Township Police Department; the Bertrand Township Fire Department; and 10 years as security for Food Specialties. He was a member of Portage Prairie United Methodist Church and Buchanan American Legion Post 51. He was a volunteer with Berrien County Youth Fair for over 18 years, and was presently employed at Brookwood Golf Course.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, in the Portage Prairie United Methodist Church. The officiating minister will be Tom Fox. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today in the Hoven Funeral Home. Burial will take place at Oak Ridge Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Portage Prairie United Methodist Church or to the Diabetes Association.