Charles "Salen" Herke, Jr.

October 4, 1929 – March 2, 2022

Charles Salen Herke, Jr., 92, Indianapolis, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Salen, as he was always called, was born in Peoria, Illinois to the late Charles Salen “Doc” Herke and Donna Jane Hawkins Herke. He graduated from Peoria High School where he was Senior Class president and an athlete, playing under the guidance of his father, long time Peoria High School coach and Athletic Director, Doc Herke. His mother, Jane, was an English and history teacher at Peoria High. He was their only son. He then attended and graduated from DePauw University, where he was a Rector Scholar. At DePauw he was a member of Beta Theta Pi and was also on the football and track teams.

After college, Salen entered the draft, completed O.C.S. and received a commission in the U.S. Army. He honorably served in the Army Signal Corps from 1951 to 1953 and left the Army as a First Lieutenant.

Salen began his career working for Indiana Bell Telephone Company in Indianapolis. He later transferred to Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company in the San Francisco Bay Area, a place he fell in love with while stationed in Northern California with the Army.

After moving back to Indiana, Salen began a long and successful career in the insurance industry. Starting in sales, he eventually became a partner at Pruyn Insurance Agency, later taking it over and turning the newly named Herke Insurance Center into one of the leading insurance agencies in the state. He served as President of the CPCU Society of Indiana as well as President of the Independent Agents of Greater Indianapolis. After selling the agency (and not retiring) Salen invested in a variety of smaller businesses and real estate projects. He frequently said he would never retire, because he enjoyed the challenge of working so much.

Salen joined St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Indianapolis in 1963 and was an active member for many years. He also served in leadership positions on both the Trustees and Pastor Parish Relations Committees.

Sports were also a passion, and Salen played tennis and squash, enjoyed running, and loved to snow ski, taking annual ski trips to the Colorado Rockies even into his eighties. He loved boating and waterskiing, and watching college sports. A fierce competitor, even when playing one-on-one basketball in the driveway, he was never one to slow down, even in his later years.

Salen loved to travel, and he was especially fond of Door County, Wisconsin. Later in life he visited China, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and even the Amazon Rainforest. He enjoyed river rafting on the Colorado River and snowmobiling in Yellowstone National Park. He said that Yosemite National Park was the most beautiful place on earth, and his first snow skiing experience was at Yosemite’s Badger Pass, back in the 1950s. He enjoyed writing poetry and decorating for the holidays. He loved a good steak and a piece of cherry pie. He liked Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Mannheim Steamroller, and Henry Mancini’s “Moon River.” He had a knack for telling jokes and puns, and he never tired of learning new things or embracing progress.

Salen is survived by his children, Gregg (Malinda) Herke, Allison (Mark) Knuttel, and Neil Herke. His six grandchildren, Rachel, Emma and Luke Knuttel and Adam, Kyle and Elise Herke, also survive him.

Salen was an adventurous soul who lived life to the fullest, rarely tired, and always embraced the journey of life.

A private family service will be held at a later date. You are invited to visit the website www.leppertmortuarycarmel.com where you may share a memory of Salen, or arrange a memorial contribution to St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., Indianapolis, IN 46260-2316.