Charles L. Layson

Charles L. Layson of Olathe, KS passed away on January 10, 2025 at the age of 96. He was born April 22, 1928 in Olathe, where he lived for his entire life, apart from his time serving in the United States Marine Corps.

Soon after being medically discharged from the Marine Corps, he returned to Olathe and met Georgia Bosley. They married in August 1948 and had two children; Donna in 1950 and Donald in 1959. An avid fisherman, he was well known in the area by his nickname ‘Catfish Charlie’, and proudly kept photos holding some of his prized catches in the glove compartment of his truck, always ready to share with anyone who showed an interest.

He was born on the day that would become Earth Day and he frequently collected aluminum cans that he encountered on his fishing excursions, preventing them from polluting the area waterways. Never one to shy away from a hard days’ work, he worked in construction for decades and had a hand in building many of the bridges in the Kansas City Metropolitan area.

Charles was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Georgia, siblings Mary Mae, Robert, Ruth, and Catherine. He is survived by children Donna Hedges of Olathe, and Donald (Connie) Layson of Columbus, OH, Granddaughter Tanya Mathieu (Rick) of Olathe, great-grandchildren Ashton, Aidan, and Avery Mathieu of Olathe, and brother David Layson (JoAnne) of Olathe.

The family would like to thank the staff and volunteers at Olathe Hospice House for the care and compassion they showed Charles in his final days.

A memorial service will be held in the spring, where family and friends will be invited to come share stories of a man who had many great stories and was always generous in sharing them.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Charles’ honor to:

WildTrust

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

512 SE 25th Ave.

Pratt, KS 67124-8174