"So difficult to lose Dad. You are all in our thoughts n prayers. Our sympathy,"
In loving memory of
Charles Richard Fank
November 3, 1935 - February 2, 2014
A Mass of Christian Burial for 78 year-old Charles Fank of Emmetsburg will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday at Holy Family Catholic Church in Emmetsburg. Burial is in St. John's Catholic Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday at the Joyce Funeral Home where there will be a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 6:30 and a parish vigil service at 7:00 p.m.
Charles (Chuck) Fank was born November 3, 1935, the son of Carl and Claribel (Steven) Fank in their home at Crystal Lake, IA. On February 2, 2014, Chuck passed away of cardiac arrest at his home in Emmetsburg on Super Bowl Sunday, just as his father did in 1967, also on Super Bowl Sunday.
Charles attended country school at Forest City, IA, and he moved to Emmetsburg in 1942, where he graduated from the 8th grade country school, before his graduation from Emmetsburg High School in 1954. In January, 1955, he volunteered for the Army, and on April 12, 1955, while on leave, he and Marilyn Myers were married in Emmetsburg at St. Thomas Catholic Church. Upon being awarded an honorable discharge from the military in 1957, they started farming in the Emmetsburg area through 1989.
During this time, he and Marilyn adopted two children: Tim and Kris. Following farming, Chuck worked at several jobs, such as the Boys' Ranch in Fort Dodge and later, Graettinger. He was manager of Emmetsburg Grain, the Cylinder Elevator, and he worked at Kerber Milling Company until March of 2013.
Chuck was a member of Holy Family Parish, and he was past-Grand Knight of the Knight's of Columbus. He loved farming and gardening. He was an avid outdoorsman, and he enjoyed spending time with family and friends.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Marilyn of Emmetsburg; son, Tim (Christy Hartley) of Tuscaloosa, AL; daughter, Kris of Lawrenceville, GA; his mother, Claribel Fank of Emmetsburg; three grandchildren: Bryan, Tyler and Taylor Fank; sister, Louise (Miron) Jenness of Wayne, NE and a brother, Nick (Kathy) Fank of Emmetsburg; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Carl.
Tributes
"I am very sorry for your loss. Although dealing with death can seem impossible the Bible gives us hope that we will be able to see our loved ones again. -Acts 24:15. "He will wipe out every tear from our eyes and death will be no more." (Revelation 21:4.) For more information about death visit jw.org. May your family find true comfort during this time."
"I worked with Chuck for several years at the Boys and Girls Home. He was a great man, a good partner and co-worker. All that worked with Chuck liked him. He was also my friend! I loved to work with Chuck, he made me smile and laugh and I always felt safe when he was there. I loved to listen to his stories and enjoyed the conversations we had. Chuck helped out in so many ways. He gave his time to cooking, maintenance but most of all he gave himself to those lost boys we worked with. He would get in the kitchen monitoring them doing their chores and using that time to talk to them. I can still see him sitting down by the shower area; the boys would be sitting on the floor talking to Chuck as they waited their turn to shower. There he would be listening and offering advise; guiding those lost boys we served so that they felt they had some direction. But more then that; that they felt someone cared and was listening to them. I will always have a special place in my heart and in my memories for Chuck, so he will never be far from me!!!!!! "