Charles Hewitt Youtz

Charles “Charlie” “Chuck” Hewitt Youtz was born at Fort Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming on January 14, 1945 to Hewitt and Jo Youtz. As his father was serving in Europe in the Army Air Force at the time of his birth, Charlie and his mother lived with his grandfather Walt S. Brown. Charlie attended elementary schools in Albin and Lander, Wyoming. In the Fall of 1957, Charlie moved to Powell, Wyoming with his family. He graduated from Powell High School in 1963 and went on to graduate from the University of Wyoming in Business Administration in 1968.

On February 13, 1965, Charlie married his high school sweetheart Lynée Funk in Powell, Wyoming.

After college, Charlie initially worked at Samsonite in Denver, later moving on to become the youngest and only non-attorney Deputy Secretary of State in Wyoming under Thyra Thompson. Upon leaving the Secretary of State’s office, he worked for Bosworth Sullivan in Cheyenne, Wyoming before moving his family to Torrington, Wyoming to run Youtz Equipment, a John Deere dealership, in 1978.

In 1984, Charlie began working for George K. Baum & Co., opening an office in Casper, Wyoming. In 1987, having been lifelong residents of Wyoming, Charlie and Lynée packed up for their biggest adventure yet and moved to Sacramento, California where Charlie opened a California office for George K. Baum. Charlie headed the Sacramento office, assisted by his wife Lynée, who served as Office Manager and Partner in Crime. After 25 years in Sacramento, they retired to Goodyear, Arizona.

Well into his 60s, Charlie enjoyed biking, completing the 200-mile ride from Seattle to Portland four times, as well as riding multiple 100-mile rides in San Bernardino, Durango and Santa Fe. An avid sports fan, he frequented games of all kinds with his favorite teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland A’s, Sacramento Kings, and of course, the Wyoming Cowboys.

While in Wyoming, Charlie used his private pilot’s license to fly his Piper Dakota near and far, always up for an adventure, a ball game, a golf tournament, a blackjack table or most likely, a visit with family, wherever they may be.

Later, he left the flying to the professionals but always had a bag packed, ready to go at a moment’s notice. He travelled almost constantly for work throughout California with frequent trips to New York City, Kansas City and Denver. With Lynée, Charlie travelled extensively throughout Europe, visiting their favorite Italy numerous times. He looked forward to their annual trips, each one longer than the last. Charlie was also on the move to be present when each grandchild was born, and to babysit whenever and wherever he was needed, toting toddlers through piazzas in Italy, the streets of Paris and the beaches of Southern California.

In August 2011, a bicycle accident changed Charlie's life. After spending nearly a year in the hospital and rehab center, he returned home. After the accident, he stayed active by exercising, serving as the volunteer bookkeeper for Head Start, and traveling to see grandchildren perform in plays or concerts, living long enough to proudly see several of his grandchildren graduate from high school. He and Lynée also welcomed a seemingly endless stream of family and friends into their home for games, movies, good food, and plenty of laughter.

Charlie is survived by his wife of 60 years Lynée, his children Shane Charles (Eva Blazejewski) Youtz of Albuquerque, NM. and Michelle (Patrick Scannell) Youtz Scannell of San Gabriel, CA., his seven grandchildren Kahlo Youtz, Cassady Youtz, Madeline Rappaport, Aidan Scannell, Lucía Youtz, Jacob Rappaport, and Josephine Scannell, and siblings Thomas (Kathy Glacock) Youtz and Jo Anne (Charles W. McFarland) McFarland .

Services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 13277 W. Thomas Road, Goodyear, AZ. at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, 2025.