Charles Ray Harter

Charles "Chuck" Ray Harter, 76, of Columbia City, passed away Tuesday evening, May 31, 2022 at his home with family by his side. Born September 3, 1945 in DeKalb County, he was the son of John and Violet (Cook) Harter.

Growing up in DeKalb County, Chuck's family moved from Newville to Auburn and he graduated from East Side High School with the Class of 1963.  He joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea. After being honorably discharged, he and a friend backpacked through Europe for a few weeks before he went off to Purdue University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.

Chuck started his work career at GTE in Fort Wayne. It was there that he was introduced to a fellow worker's sister, Lucy. It took persistency on Chuck's part, but he finally convinced her to get ice cream together and win her love. On April 27, 1974, he married Lucy Workman. After working at GTE for 10 years, Chuck took a job with Contel and moved his family to Seymour for the next 10 years. After a corporate buy out, Chuck waited for a sign on where to move his family next and was the last one to shut the lights off at the Contel location Seymour.  Chuck, Lucy and their girls would move to Whitley County when he went back to work for GTE and retired from Verizon in the early 2000's. During these times, Chuck furthered his education to receive his MBA in Business though Indiana Wesleyan University.

Chuck and Lucy both had been Youth Counselors at Park Forrest Church of God and he enjoyed leading bible studies as they attended Big Lake Church of God, as well as volunteer in the church's nursery. He currently was a faithful member of The Warehouse where he would help out in any way that he was needed. When Chuck was not able to be active inside the church's building, he still ministered to others from his home and to the nurses that came to visit with him.

Chuck was not only a man of God, he loved his wife, children, grandchildren, and loved helping others. You could always count on Chuck and know he was there to help anyone in need. If anything, ever was in need of a repair, Chuck could fix it. He enjoyed playing basketball with the youth at the church, running, riding the tandem bike Lucy had bought before they knew each other, reading and woodworking.

Chuck leaves behind a loving family, including his wife of 48 years, Lucy Ann Harter; daughters, Miranda (Jamie) Branning and Lorna (Adam) Overdeer; grandchildren, Conrad, Cora, Charlie, Samuel, Wyatt and Blake; brothers, Jim (AnnaMae) Harter and Dick Harter; and sister-in-law, Cindy Harter. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Johnette Billings and brother, Mike Harter.

Visitation will be 3 to 7 pm Friday, June 3, 2022 at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 11 am Saturday at the funeral home with visitation one hour prior. Pastor Hank Workman will be officiating. Burial will take place at Covington Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations may be given in memory to The Warehouse. Visit www.DeMoneyGrimes.com to send Charles's family online condolences or sign the online guest book.