Charles "Chuck" Ogle

Charles "Chuck" Ogle, 83, of Marshall, IL, went to be with Jesus on December 24, 2025, surrounded by the love of his family in the comfort of his home. Born September 14, 1942, in West Union, IL, Chuck was the son of William Ogle & Reba (Monk) Ogle. He attended West Union Elementary before graduating from Hutsonville High School, and even then, it was clear he was the kind of young man who did not wait around for life to hand him something. While still in school, he worked in his dad's DX station, where he learned the early lessons that would shape so much of his life: how to work, how to fix what needs fixed, and how to do it right. Under the steady guidance of his uncle Paul, he learned mechanical skills and welding, and those skills became more than just abilities. They became part of who he was.

In time, that early training carried him into a career as a journeyman welder with the Local #157 Plumbers and Steamfitters Union. Chuck was the one they called when something was hard, complex, or tight, the kind of job that required more than strength. It required patience, nerve, and an eye for detail. He once held a mirror in his left hand and welded with his right, and if that sounds impossible, it is because most people did not do what Chuck could do. He took pride in never welding anything that would not pass inspection, and that was not simply about work standards. It was about personal standards. He was detail-oriented on the job, and he was just as detail-oriented at home. If a job required precision, if it needed to be done carefully and correctly, it was right in his wheelhouse. Painting, tinkering, repairs, and the kinds of small tasks other people rush through were the very places where he quietly excelled.

That attention to detail showed up in the way he cared for what he owned, especially his vehicles. He had numerous Chevys and Fords through the years, and as a young man, he loved to drive them fast, the kind of fast that could leave a car airborne! But it was not only the speed he loved. It was the way a machine works when it is tuned, maintained, and respected. He carried that same appreciation into motorcycles, too. Over the years, he had an Indian motorcycle, a Bultaco motorcycle, and plenty of Hondas, and he loved the feel of a well-running engine beneath him.

Chuck spent his life working, building, and providing. So when retirement finally arrived, it did not mean slowing down as much as it meant shifting his attention to the things that mattered most to him. Every year, he and his family vacationed to Florida to soak up warm sunshine. Back home, Chuck stayed in motion. He took up gardening and grew all sorts of produce, including corn, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and much more. When they lived in the country, he kept up a pool and took pride in tending to it for his grandkids' sake. And when it came to the mowing, his family will tell you that Marsha did the mowing, and Chuck did the watching. Still, Chuck found his own way to make the yard work count. He used the John Deere tractor less for the grass and more for the grandkids, who loved nothing more than climbing up for a ride with "Poppy". Those country years also included rides in his pink golf cart, another small tradition that turned ordinary days into something his family will carry with them.

Though these memories are special, what his loved ones will remember most about Chuck is what he carried in his character. After all, he was a strong, resilient, determined man, and he had to work for everything he had in his life. That shaped him. It made him dependable. It made him direct. He could be set in his ways, and he always had been. But the people who truly knew him knew what was underneath all of it. Chuck was dedicated, loyal, a hard worker, and dependable. If he said he would do it, he would. And above all, he was honest, the most honest man you would ever meet. His granddaughter Kealy learned that early, because Chuck told her something that stayed with her: "If you ring a bell, you can't unring it." He believed words mattered. He believed integrity mattered. And he lived like it.

Because he was a man of few words, when he spoke, you listened. And when he spoke, you usually got one of two things: something worth hearing, or something quietly hilarious. Chuck had a dry wit, and he never smiled when he told a joke, which only made it better. More than once, when he got home from work, he would tell Marsha a made-up story, delivered with such a straight face that it took a minute to realize he was teasing!

He was most himself at home, but his faith was one of the few things that consistently drew him beyond it. He was an active member of Bailiff Church and served in several capacities there, including running sound and working as a janitor. He also sang in a gospel quartet for years, sharing songs in various churches around the area. And yet, the music that filled his home most often belonged to the king of rock 'n' roll: Elvis Presley. Chuck was an avid Elvis fan, and he was always singing his songs to Marsha, his kids, his grandkids, and his great-grandkids. Christmas Eve made that especially clear. Elvis' Christmas music would be playing, and his favorite song was "Blue Christmas."

And yes, this Christmas season feels blue for the people who loved him and now have to learn how to navigate life without him. But for Chuck, the song has changed. The One he trusted has brought him home. The voice that filled his house has grown quiet here, but his faith has become sight, and his joy is full. We grieve, but not without hope, because we know where he is: with Jesus.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marsha Ogle; his daughter, Yvette Atherton; his son, Eric Ogle; his grandaughters, Ericka (Christopher) McKillop and Kealy (Ryan) Cox; his great-grandchildren, Everley McKillop, Wyatt McKillop, and Lia Mae Cox; his brother, Bob Ogle; his sisters, Jo Short and Vickie (Ross) Knecht; his sister-in-law, Lavora Green; brothers-in-law, Gary (Debby) Green and Chris (Vic) Green; as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Jacqueline Ogle; his brothers-in-law, Harold Short, Jerry Green, and Greg Wells; and his sisters-in-law, Judy Ogle and Sharon Wells.

A time of visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30th, at the Prust Hosch Funeral Home in West Union. Funeral services will immediately follow and be held at 1:00 p.m., with Pastor Nita Preston officiating. For those unable to attend, a recording of the funeral will be posted at www.goodwinefuneralhomes.com/live-stream/live-stream soon after. Burial will be in the Bailiff Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the "Bailiff Cemetery", with envelopes available at the funeral home.