Charles Eugene "Chuck" Gafford Jr.

Charles Eugene Gafford Jr., born November 11, 1957, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Chuck entered Glory on January 31, 2025, in Oklahoma City. He was born to Charles and Chere' Gafford of Mustang, Oklahoma. Chuck was preceded in death by his father, Charles Eugene Gafford, Sr.
Chuck led the singing at a church in Stamford, Texas for two years when he was 17 and 18 years old, in high school. Chuck graduated from Lueders-Avoca High School in 1975. Chuck attended Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, where he was president of his freshman class. Chuck graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in the Spring of 1981. During Chuck's senior year at Hardin-Simmons, he was a summer missionary to North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Chuck also attended North Texas State University in Denton, Texas where he graduated with a master's degree in music. Chuck then moved to New York where he pursued his career in opera and also worked in Information Technology. Chuck sang with sixteen opera companies. He had a baritone singing voice and sang in French, Latin, Italian, German, English, Spanish and Hebrew. He sang operas in New York, New Jersey, Texas and California. Chuck was a Pastor of Praise Place Church in Moore, Oklahoma. Chuck had a hemorrhagic stroke in 2016 which paralyzed the right side of his body.
Chuck is survived by his former wife, Jody and their two children, Charles Eugene Gafford III and his wife Maria, as well as Catherine Elizabeth Larsen and her husband, Derek, as well as one grandson, Lucas Larsen. He is also survived by his mother, Chere' Gafford of Mustang; a sister Christy Burney of Moore; a brother Boyd Glenn Gafford. Ph.D. of Lone Jack, Missouri and his wife Angie; a sister Jeanne Reynolds of Oklahoma City and her husband Mark. He is also survived by a niece Crystal Cottrell of Moore; a great niece Bailey Cottrell of Moore; a nephew Joel Gafford of Lone Jack, Missouri; and niece Elissa Gafford of Madison, Wisconsin; as well as a niece Danielle Gafford of St. Paul, Minnesota; and a host of extended family and friends.
Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, February 7, 2025, at Chisholm Heights Baptist Church, located at 2243 W. State Hwy 152, in Mustang, Oklahoma, under the direction of the John M. Ireland Funeral Home & Chapel, in Moore, Oklahoma.
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