Charles Harold Spiva

Charles Harold Spiva, age 89, of Jet, Oklahoma, passed away Sunday, January 14, 2024 at Baptist Village in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Charles was born August 20, 1934 in Jet, Oklahoma, on the family farm, beloved son of Edith and Clyde Spiva. He graduated from Oklahoma A&M beginning his lifetime support cheering on his Cowboys.

Charles met the love of his life, Mary Ann, through an introduction by a former girlfriend. Mary Ann stated she knew he was the one from the very first moment she saw him. Charles has said that he doesn't remember much about that particular date but he does remember that she was wearing gold shoes. This was the start of a 55-year marriage that truly represented what it meant to live “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” As they have grown older, they enjoyed reading together and sitting and watching the farm operation, especially the cattle that lived on their land. But they had quite a few grand adventures in traveling after their children were grown. They took cruises to Alaska, Panama and the Caribbean and traveled by train to California, as well as other varied trips. But their absolute favorite places to go were anywhere their children and grandchildren were.

Charles and Mary Ann had two children, Kathy Jo and Chad Douglas. Charles was a good man and a great dad. He was present for his family. He was involved in so many different organizations throughout his whole life but never seemed to be absent from extracurricular activities or evenings at home. He had an incredible ability to both play hard and work hard. He taught his children about life by living out his example on the farm. Simple every day chores such as how to milk cows, make butter, raise and butcher chickens, load and unload hay bales, locate and care for baby animals of all kinds were a constant lesson in the value of labor, the cycles of living and dying, and the complexity of God’s creation. Watching crops like wheat and alfalfa grow in the sometimes-desperate conditions of NW Oklahoma taught the desperate need for faith. Someone larger than the simple farmer working the soil was the one ultimately in charge of the rain and the sun. Charles absolutely loved being a grandpa and great-grandpa. He adored every single one of his grandchildren and tried to attend every event he possibly could. Even in his final days he was daily wearing apparel from his grandchildren’s universities. It was the only time he would agree to wear OU. The walker he was using before his stroke was Arkansas red and there was a WestMoore sticker waiting to be put on it. He and Elyse could just sit and smile at each other for the longest time. There’s just some kind of special connection between the very old and very young.

Charles was a man of God. Following Jesus’ example, he was able to be a strong leader and yet have a servant heart. He didn’t preach about his faith. He chose to demonstrate it in all that he did – loving his wife, parenting his children, farming on his own and for others. He was on countless school, church and community/area organizations providing strong leadership as needed but always shied away from receiving any attention. One of his greatest passions was Kairos Prison Ministry. Rain or shine, he was always excited to get to go and worship with the men in Helena. They were his friends and he was as concerned about their lives and faith as anyone else in his life. Even after he was well past retirement age, he continued to serve others by delivering prescription medications to the homebound and then delivered meals to the elderly and homebound after his second (or third) retirement.

Charles is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mary Ann; daughter, Kathy Purintun and husband, Darin; son, Chad Spiva and wife, Jennifer; grandchildren, Benjamin, Nicholas, Payne, Bryson and Meghan; one great-granddaughter, Elyse; niece, Linda Potter Edwards and her son, Dustin; and innumerable extended family members and friends he considered family.

Charles is preceded in death by his parents, Edith and Clyde Spiva; sister Betty Jean Potter and husband J.D

Celebration of Life for Charles Spiva is Saturday, January 27, at 11:00 am at Jet Community Church. All are invited and we would encourage everyone to send or bring notes or cards with special memories of our dad/grandpa/husband. We want to remember and honor him for years to come.

Please send cards or special notes to: PO Box 956/Tuttle OK 73089

Memorials may be made to:

Jet Community Church

or

Kairos Prison Ministry of Oklahoma

P O Box 54383

Oklahoma City OK 73154