Joseph "Chuck" Headley

Services will be on Monday, February 3, 2025, at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church with Visitation beginning at 10 AM and Service at 11 AM. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery Those wishing to attend this service via Zoom may follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/SALC-Headley-Funeral

Chuck was born in 1930 at the beginning of the Great Depression to Joseph Henry Headley and Clara Florence Headley, he grew up in a farmhouse without electricity or running water. Despite neither parent advancing beyond the eighth grade, they understood the power of education and ensured that Chuck worked hard in his one-room country school with about a dozen students. Through hard work, encouragement from his teachers, and a bit of luck, he earned a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Illinois before attaining a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University.

Chuck was a respected professor whose innovative work in pest and resource management is still used and continues to influence the field today. A member of the ROTC, he honored his commitment by serving in the Air Force during the Korean War as a photo analyst for the Strategic Air Command.

In 1964, Chuck married Carol Jane Swartz of Western Springs, IL, and they had two children. He was a loving husband, a devoted and patient father and father-in-law, and a cherished grandfather. Chuck also left lasting legacies at Mizzou, the University of California-Davis, and the University of Arkansas. Even after retiring from academia, he remained dedicated to education, running for and being elected to the Columbia Board of Education where he served for nine years. A world full of former students and community members felt his impact as a caring teacher and school board member.

Chuck embodied hard work, honor, good humor, and kindness in everything he did. He loved music and laughter, and even in his waning days, he was known for making jokes, creating silly songs on the fly, and could still play a song or three on his beloved guitar. He took the family on countless road trips and camping adventures across the US, where his children learned about patience, geography, history, his hatred of city traffic, and how far dad could be pushed before he pulled over. He believed in doing things right the first time, fixing what could be fixed, and always giving his best.

He is survived by his wife, Carol; his son, Nils Headley, daughter-in-law Tiffany, and their two sons, Karl and Erik of San Mateo, CA; and his daughter, Kirsten Eyles, son-in-law Matthew, and their two children, Embrik and Thalia, who were raised in Potomac, MD. He is also survived by his brother, Royce Headley (Joyce) of Macomb, IL, and numerous nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly. He was preceded in death by his brother, Myron Headley, and his sister, Marjory Butler (Ralph).

Chuck was too humble to permit us to say he was a great man—but he would allow us to say that he was a good man who always gave his best.