Charles Engar

1946 - 2025

Charles Engar

1946-2025

Kamas, UT - Charles Proctor Engar of Kamas, Utah, passed away in his home surrounded by family on February 12, 2025, at the age of 78. Charles fought a hard nine year battle with basal cell cancer that ultimately resulted in basal cell brain cancer. Charles was a man of many passions who lived life to the fullest; whether racing bicycles well into his 70s or discussing politics and religion, he didn't hold back. He loved participating in sports especially softball, basketball, running and cycling. He won a gold medal in the Senior Games, completed LoToJa, STP, Rockwell Relay (x2) and completed the St. George marathon. He coached competitive soccer for many years which led to his love of the game. His greatest passion was anything involving his family, including cycling, hiking, road trips, family games, attending sporting events and vacations. He was almost always engaged. He was passionate about learning and intellectual pursuits and, as anyone who really knew him would say, he loved a good debate. At the same time, he was a peacemaker and the consummate mediator, especially among his children, teaching by example that family always comes first. Charles remained a passionate and stalwart member of the LDS faith throughout his life, while exhibiting the compassion necessary to maintain loving and tender relationships with those who did not share his faith. Although Charles served in many church callings, consistent with his passion for intellectual pursuits, his favorite was gospel doctrine teacher. Charles also had a passion for the arts. He participated in numerous community plays, took joy in his wife's beautiful singing voice, was a self-taught visual artist, and even wrote and published a book titled Eat, Drink, and Be Merry. Charles was also an honest man with great integrity and had a fantastic sense of humor. At the end, we can truly say he knew how to live and did live a life with meaning and worthy of praise.

Charles was born March 9, 1946, to Karl and Mildred Engar in Salt Lake City and was a member of Skyline High School's class of 1964. Charles served a mission for the LDS faith in Oslo, Norway from 1965 to 1967, then served in the Army Reserves as a member of the 328th general hospital unit. In 1968, Charles met Kristie Berndt, also of Salt Lake City. After a brief courtship, they married in the Salt Lake Temple on September 26 that same year. Charles graduated from the University of Utah in 1969 with a degree in political science and, after, attended graduate school at Brigham Young University. While at BYU, he was hired by the F.B.I., where he worked as a special agent operating out of offices in Kansas, Minnesota, and as the ASAC in South Dakota. He resigned from the F.B.I. in 1977, after being recruited to join the Utah Attorney General's newly opened white-collar-crime division. Charles left public service in 1980 and joined Sorenson Research, later Abbott Laboratories, as the head of security for the Salt Lake City plant. Charles parlayed his security and management experience into a career in human resources, which took him from Salt Lake City to Chicago, Illinois to Morgan Hill, California, and back to Salt Lake City. Charles ultimately returned to security and retired as the head of the Western Region International Security for Hospira Inc.

Charles is survived by his wife, Kristie, their five children, Travis (Christy), Brittany Beavin (Mark), Tyler (Adrienne Dongarra), Colby, and Ashley Blackburn (Dennis), 19 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, his sister, Nancy Lines (Ivan) and his twin brother Rodney. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Janet Shaw (William).

We would like to offer our deepest gratitude to Enhabit Home Health Care and Applegate Home care & Hospice. Special thanks to Byron and Christine.

On Friday, February 21st, a visitation will be held at the Kamas, UT Stake Center 3038 N State Road 32, Kamas, UT 84036 from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM followed by a funeral service at 1:00 PM. Internment will follow at the Midway City Cemetery.