Charles Howard Rhyne

Charlie was born Nov 6, 1927, in McEwen, TN to Howard and Ethel Rhyne. He had two sisters and three brothers. He married Louise Curtis on July 2, 1947. He was licensed into the ministry in 1950. In 1955 he received a BA from Trevecca College. In 1961 he received his MSW from University of TN School of Social Work. He earned both degrees while also working two jobs. He was pastor of Mt. Pleasant Methodist church from 1957 to 1961. He moved to Mobile in 1962 to work for the Community Chest (now United Way). After serving as Executive Director of the Gordon Smith Center, he worked for Mobile Housing Board from 1972 until his retirement in 1996 as Housing Operations Officer. He served on the boards of Mobile Area Community Action, Area Agency on Aging, Habitat, Mayor’s Task Force on the Homeless and many other groups. He was a member of AL Association Housing and Redevelopment Officials, AL Association Housing Counselors, Academy of Certified Social Workers and President of AL Conference of Social Work. He served all of these organizations as a unifying force of encouragement, working tirelessly to improve the self-sufficiency of the city’s public housing residents while calling on local charitable groups for support. He served on the Missions Committee as a deacon at Cottage Hill Baptist Church and supported Metro Ministries and the Jesus Film Project. He traveled to India and Brazil to spread the gospel. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Louise Curtis Rhyne; their daughter, Melissa and her husband Dan Collier; and grandchildren Chloe, Zoe and Jonah. He leaves behind his brother Herman and sister Mildred. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 7:00 Thursday, January 2 at Radney Funeral Home on Dauphin Street. Services will be at 2:00 Friday January 3 in the chapel of Cottage Hill Baptist Church. He will be laid to rest at Pine Crest West. To honor him, the family requests that donations be made in his name to the missions program at Cottage Hill Baptist Church. Galations 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com