Dr. Charles Gary Apple

07/04/1947 - 10/11/2025

Dr. Charles Gary Apple, "Chuck" to his friends, and "Doc A" to many of his students, was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and passed away on October 11, 2025 . He went to high school at St. Leo in Detroit, and subsequently earned his Bachelor's degree from Wayne State University. He went to work at Aetna Insurance in Detroit while continuing with his education at Wayne State, obtaining his Master's Degree and his Ph.D. at that institution. Chuck was on the Wayne State Debate team throughout his student years.
Chuck taught first at the University of Kentucky and then moved back to Michigan, where he began to teach at the University of Michigan-Flint, starting in 1986. He was Chair of the Communication Department from 1987 through 1998, helping to create and grow that department.
Chuck loved above all teaching, advising, and guiding his students. And his students loved him for it. Often, after a class, heading to his office, it was like watching a Pied Piper with a gaggle of students following him to his office to chat about the class or whatever other topics they wanted his input on. The admiration and respect his students had for him was reflected in the type of awards he received during his teaching years.
Among them:
Lawrence Kugler Advising Excellence Award
Issued by Faculty of the University of Michigan-Flint - Sep 2004
Outstanding Achievement in Advising
Teaching Excellence
Issued by the Faculty of the University of Michigan-Flint - Sep 2003
Distinguished Professor Award
Issued by Student Government of the University of Michigan-Flint - Jun 2001
Distinguished Professor Award by Student Government
Issued by the University of Michigan-Flint
This award is given to faculty members for excellence in teaching and service to student.
After Chuck retired from teaching in the classroom in 2009 because of health-related problems, he continued to teach on-line, where, with the help of what he called his "IT gurus," he incorporated video vignettes to introduce subject topics. As an example, he dressed up like a James Gardner gambler in the old west movies, with a hat, suit, fake gun, deck of cards, and silver whiskey cup, in front of a green screen so that his gurus could add an old-town street in the background to introduce his lecture on Western films - setting a high standard for teaching on-line classes. When Covid hit and the enrollment at the university declined, he was forced to retire from on-line teaching. Not teaching was hard for him to have to give up.
Chuck loved so many things, reading; history; movies, both old and new, incorporating movies or clips of movies in many of his classes to emphasize a concept or point. He had a special love for the Robin Hood legend, and collected books and movies in that genre. Chuck loved to travel, and during some of his trips he especially loved visiting monastic sites in both Scotland and Ireland. He had a special love of all things Irish, reflected in the topic choice for his Ph.D. dissertation, which centered on the "troubles" in Ireland.
Well-read in so many fields, philosophy, science fiction, historical novels, baseball, current affairs, the Revolutionary War, to name just a few of his many interests. He loved baseball and followed the Tigers till the very end.
Chuck shared the last 32 years of his life with his life-partner Cynthia Nill.
In the past year and a half, due to his deteriorating health he resided at Brookdale, an assisted living facility in Grand Blanc. The management and staff at Brookdale have been superb, especially during this last stage of his journey. A special thank- you for their caring and support.
He leaves behind three nieces; Mary Beth Sims (Duce), Julie Mokma (Pete) and Sarah Klenyans (Chris); two nephews, Mike Apple and Carl Apple Jr. (Erin); many great nieces and nephews, and great- great nieces and nephews. Chuck was preceded in death by his father, Carl Apple, his mother, Eleanor (Polcznski) Apple, and his brother Carl Patric Apple.
A Celebration of Chuck's Life will be held at 12:30 PM Sunday, October 26, 2025 at the Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center located at 6063 Fenton Road, Grand Blanc, Michigan 48507. The service will also be live streamed, and it can be viewed via the link at the base of Chuck's obituary at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com. Memorial visitation will be held from 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM Saturday, October 25, 2025 at the funeral home and on Sunday, from 11:30 AM until the time of service. For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Chuck to the Carriage Town Ministries (www.carriagetown.org) 605 Garland Street, Flint, Michigan 48503.
Online tributes and condolences may be shared on Chuck's obituary page at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.