Charlie W. Hartsfield

1938 - 2021

Charlie W. (Pete) Hartsfield

Tallahassee - Charlie W. (Pete) Hartsfield, of Tallahassee, passed away peacefully with his loving family on July 21, 2021. He was born in Greenwood, Florida on December 7, 1938 to his parents Charlie Willis Hartsfield, Sr. and Avis Oswald Hartsfield.

Pete began his 33 year career with the Florida Park Service working part time as a cave guide at Florida Caverns State Park while attending Chipola Junior College. In July, 1957, Pete became a fulltime park ranger and it was there he met his future wife, Martha, when she was on his tour through the caverns. After dating for several months, they eloped and married on February 21, 1958.

Pete served in many positions within the FPS and he and Martha started their family of 4 children while living in many of Florida's State Parks. In the fall of 1971, Pete moved his family to Tallahassee where he served in the FPS Headquarters before retiring as chief of park operations in June, 1989. After retiring from the FPS Pete started Hartsfield Construction and built homes for each of his children. Eventually his sons Robby and Ricky began working in the company and took it over.

Pete and Martha are faithful members of Fellowship Baptist Church. They love to spend time at their vacation home near the smoky mountains and at their river house on the Ochlocknee River near Sopchoppy. Pete loved to fix things, tell stories, fish, read, work crossword puzzles as well as cook and spend time with his family. He enjoyed his weekly lunches with church fellowship brothers, monthly lunches with fellow FPS friends, alumni association events and his MBC fishing buddies.

He is survived by his wife, Martha, daughter Ginger Daniels (Zeb), three sons Tommy, Robby (Debbie) and Ricky (Cory), 12 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and a bountiful extended family.

Viewing and visitation will be held at 10:00 AM on Monday, July 26, 2021 at Fellowship Baptist Church, 3705 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL and the service will begin at 11:00 AM. Interment will immediately follow at MeadowWood Memorial Park, 700 Timberland Road, Tallahassee, FL.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fellowship Baptist Church Building Fund, 3705 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32303 or the James Cook Relief Fund, Scott Spaulding, Treasurer, FPS Ranger Association, P. O. Box 74, Island Grove, FL 32654 or a favorite charity. Todd Wahlquist with Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193, www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the Hartsfield family with their arrangements.