Charlie…an avid outdoorsman, a hunter, a sports enthusiast…a veteran, a man of faith…but, forever and above all else…our dad, our grandpa, our friend.
Charlie was born and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and attended college at the University of Minnesota where he earned degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration. It was there that Charlie met his beautiful wife, Frances, married in the spring of 1952, and started a family. Putting his Mechanical Engineering degree to good use as a troubleshooting engineer took he and his family to Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Kentucky, Iowa, Illinois, and finally Colorado. It was in Colorado that he took the helm of Inter-Mountain Engineering.
Charlie instilled in each of his sons the love of the outdoors. He was the 52nd member of the Grand Slam Club for North American Sheep, an achievement he was quite proud of, and was also a life-time member of the Safari Club International. Charlie’s passion for the outdoors and hunting took him around the world…throughout the Continental US, Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina, Scotland, Austria, Russia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Charlie was an enthusiastic sports fan and followed the Rockies, Broncos, Avalanche, and the Indy 500 faithfully.
As a veteran, Charlie took pride in the time spent in the US Navy, enlisted during World War II, earned his pilot’s license, and was honorably discharged from the Naval Reserves in March of 1960.
But, there was probably nothing that Charlie cherished more than spending time with his family. He was truly engaged in his children’s and grandchildren’s lives and so enjoyed hearing about their adventures and was so proud of all their accomplishments. He traveled locally and across the country to attend graduations, sporting events, scouting ceremonies and sometimes to merely just check in and visit.
Charlie was a man of great faith and a parishioner of St. Thomas More Catholic Church. He was granted an audience with the Pope and could often be found supporting the mission of the Poor Clare Sisters. Charlie said his prayers every night until the Lord called him to eternal rest. Charlie died peacefully at his home on August 31st.
Charlie was preceded in death by his wife, Frances; father and mother, Bill and Rose; brothers, Frank and his wife Virginia, and Romaine and his wife Alice; and daughter-in-law, Claudia.
Charlie is survived by his sons Jeff; Brian and his wife, Kathy; and Toby and his wife, Carole; and his six precious grandchildren, Morgan and her husband Marcus, Nick, Liz, Greg, Gretchen, and Jackie.
A Charles F. Spanel Memorial Fund has been established at TCF Bank, 11201 S Parker Rd, Parker, CO 80134 for the benefit of the Denver Zoo and friends.
Visitation at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 6601 S. Colorado Blvd, Littleton, on Wednesday, September 5th, 5:00pm-7:00pm. Funeral services at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 8035 South Quebec St, Centennial on Thursday, September 6th, 11:00am. Reception following services at St. Thomas More Catholic Church Hall. Burial following reception at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 2:00pm.
To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to die.
