Charles Lafayette Owens, 80, a resident of Rutledge, passed away peacefully in his home on Saturday, Nov. 2, while surrounded by his family. Funeral services for Charles will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Liberty Congregation with Rev. Jimmy Williams and Rev. Walter Brewer officiating. He will then be laid to rest beside his beloved wife in Liberty Cemetery with Turners Funeral Home of Luverne directing. 

Charles was the epitome of the strong family man. He believed in the value of hard work and toiled from sunup to sundown for much of his life. If he wasn’t working at the local textile factory as a supervisor, he was tending to his chicken houses and taking care of his wife’s “honey do” list around the house. You could bet he was going to find something to do at all times, particularly when it allowed him to be outside. He loved basking in the beauty of God’s creation, whether it was simply sitting on his front porch and dropping a line at a favorite fishing spot as often as he could. 

He was a country boy at heart, so he loved riding his Ranger on dirt roads, grilling, or just sitting by a warm campfire with the people he loved the most. Come Saturdays in the fall, he was usually cheering on the Alabama Crimson Tide on the gridiron, but the rest of his TV watching (and reading) usually involved his favorite Westerns…all done with his devoted feline companion, Bear, by his side. 

Charles was the very heart and soul of his family. He was the rock they built their foundation upon, and they were all the better for it. He taught them the value in having a loving, open, and welcoming heart for every single person, no matter what. Basically, to know him was to love him and, boy, was this man loved! He was a devoted husband, father, “Papa,” brother, and friend throughout his blessed long life because he knew the greatest treasure he would ever possess was his family. His enormous heart and generosity of spirit instilled lifelong lessons in all of them and endeared him to literally everyone he met over the years. 

He was certainly one of a kind and special light in the lives of all those who knew and loved him. Words cannot express the depth of their sorrow at his absence, but his loved ones will continue to hold both his memory, and his lessons close to their hearts for many more years to come. 

Charles was preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, Mary Emma Owens; grandson, Jeremy Gibson; grandson-in-law, Matt Douglas; great-grandchildren, Jordan and Ryan Douglas; parents, Ernest and Annie Mirl Wallace Owens and siblings, Ernestine Owens and Johnny Mack Owens. He is survived by his treasured children and their spouses, Janet and Danny Rhodes, Gail and John Defee, and Sandy and Stanley Smith; grandchildren, Kayla Raupach, Jessica Gibson, Tiffany (Chance) Mangram, Justin (Rebekah) Gibson, Candace (Sam) Waters, Cheyenne (Stephen) Croley and Anthony Smith; great-grandchildren, Tucker, Haley, Bradley, Tristan, Sage, Christian, Brynlee, Jaelynn, Cameron, Alice, Kylan, Cameron, Bryant, “Lil” Jeremy, Kyleigh, Brian, Noah, Kyleigh and Greyson; great-great-great-granddaughter, Marie; sister, Jackie Owens Erwin and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends. 

Active pallbearers are Danny Rhodes, Stanley Smith, John Defee, Chris Hall, Alan Holland and Justin Gibson.