Charles Edward "Charlie" Pence

Charles Edward Pence, previously of Blue Springs, MO, currently of Kansas City, MO, passed away Saturday May 20, 2023. He was 90 years old.

Charlie was born on May 5, 1933, the son of Charley and Ola Mae (Garrison) Pence, Sr. He had one younger brother, Jim Pence of Redland, CA. He married Mary F. Villines and had one daughter from that union. Later in life he remarried Otherine Wood Crawford. Charlie worked as a Superintendent in the Spare Parts division of Armco Steel Corp until retirement. After the passing of his wife Otherine in 2014, he moved with his daughter and became a member of Nashua Baptist Church. They were previously members of Emanuel Baptist Church of Independence, MO. There, Charlie taught an adult Sunday School Class for many years. As a younger man, he was also a Deacon & Sunday School teacher at the Blue Springs Assembly of God church in Blue Springs, MO. He was an avid outdoorsman. If the weather was good, he was somewhere fishing or hunting in his younger years. He had a passion for raising, training, and hunting his bird dogs, particularly Lewellen Setters. He enjoyed running his dogs in the Armco Steel Field Trials. He brought home several trophies with his best dogs, Chief and Cindy. Then, weather permitting, Charlie was gone fish’n. Crappie and Bass fishing were his favorites. But Fall weather found him hunting quail, pheasant, and an occasional deer. He loved anything outdoors including keeping his lawn looking like something out of a Better Homes & Garden Magazine. He didn’t talk a lot but tried to make what he said mean something. He loved his Lord, Family, friends, and country. He joined the Marine Corp in 1950 at the beginning of the Korean Conflict. Unfortunately, due to an accident during basic training he received a medical discharge. But he never lost interest in keeping up-to-date with what was going on in his country.

Charles is survived by his daughter, Charlene (Manuel) Lopez; grandson, Barak (Katie) Bratcher; stepdaughter, Melinda Beale; step grandchildren Gina DeForest and Bradley Beale; and step great grandchildren, Gavin DeForest, Madison, Jaxon & Myli Beale. He is preceded in death by both of his parents; brother Jim Pence, wife Mary Pence; wife Otherine Pence and his beloved grandson, Brandon M. Bratcher, who tragically passed when he was 18 years old.

A Visitation and Funeral service will be held at Speaks Suburban Chapel, 18020 E. 39th St., Independence, Missouri. Visitation will be Wednesday , May 31, 2023, from 9am – 10am. Funeral service at 10am. Interment will follow the services. The family suggests contributions to be made to the Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901, in honor of Charles. Contribution envelopes will be provided at the services.