Funeral services will be held at 3pm, Saturday, September 16th at Church of the Resurrection Wesley Covenant Chapel followed by a dinner reception.
Born July 26, 1934, the only child to Elwyn and Elizabeth (Davis) Folkers in Lima, Ohio. Chuck grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Peabody High School, where at age 16 he met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Marjorie "Margie" Ann Babb, at church camp and choir. While in high school, Chuck worked to become an Eagle Scout and a 32nd degree Freemason.
After high school graduation in 1952, Chuck attended Penn State University, joining the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and ROTC, and becoming a life-long devoted Nittany Lion alumnus. He was active in the alumni PSU and Phi Psi chapters wherever he lived his entire life.
Following college, Chuck served in the United States Air Force as a navigator for three years in Texas, California, and Nebraska reaching the rank of Captain. On February 22, 1957, he and Margie were married in Heinz Chapel in Pittsburgh.
Following the Air Force, he began his career first in sales with Proctor & Gamble and then into life insurance, attaining both Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant certifications. While busy with work and raising three children, Chuck earned a law degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa in 1972. His J.D. led him into estate planning as Vice President with Connecticut General Life Insurance in Hartford, CT and Denver, CO. Then in 1977, he became Vice President of Advanced Sales with Business Men’s Assurance Company (BMA) in Kansas City, MO.
Retirement in 2002 brought a move to The Villages, Florida where Chuck relished golfing, fishing, kayaking, swimming and race walking, as well as international travel with Margie to many continents and countries, often joined by friends.
Always active in their local church wherever they lived, Chuck was a founding member of Hope United Methodist Church in Englewood, Colorado. Chuck’s life long faith journey made a deep connection at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas and he continued that journey as a founding member of New Covenant United Methodist Church in The Villages. He served on several boards and committees, sang in the choir and with the Gospel Notes Group, helped with the men’s breakfast, taught Disciple l - IV, and lead many men’s small groups. He was most proud of his involvement in growing the Seeds of Hope Ministry, providing food for the Wildwood community. Chuck’s strong faith provided strength and guidance to him throughout his life and he took it to heart never to “retire from God”, but to “do good deeds”.
Chuck and Margie easily made close and life-long friends wherever they lived. Lovers of fun times & laughter, sports, games, golfing, lake weekends, parties, family get-togethers, and family vacations throughout the country, they filled an amazing 66½ years together. Chuck loved fishing and boating and cherished his many fishing and Lake of the Ozarks weekends with close friends and family. A self-proclaimed “people person”, Chuck always derived great pleasure from his family and his many dear friends his entire life. He appreciated each one of them, and expressed how blessed he felt having many friends in his life.
Chuck was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; three children, Vickie Cantrell (Marque) of Denver, Linda Faucett (John) of Overland Park, and Dr. David Folkers (Jennifer) of Austin; Nine grandchildren, David (Jessica) and Stephen (Amanda) Cantrell, Shannon Bollinger (Tyler), Jake Faucett, Jennifer Smith (Jordan), Brian, Kyle, Mia, and Keira Folkers; as well as 4 great-grandchildren.
Whether we knew him as Charles, Chuck, Charlie, Dad, Uncle Chuck, Grandad, or Great Grandad, he was deeply loved and will be greatly missed. We celebrate his well-lived 89 years of life.
The funeral will be held at the Church of the Resurrection Wesley-Covenant Chapel, 13720 Roe Blvd, Leawood, KS on Saturday, September 16th at 3pm. The service will be followed by a dinner reception.
The service will be livestreamed at 3 p.m., please join using the "Join Livestream" button below.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made for the “Seeds of Hope” Missions by mailing donations to New Covenant United Methodist Church, 3470 Woodridge Drive, The Villages, FL 32162 (please indicate: In memory of Charles Folkers; Seeds of Hope), or to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (also indicate this is in memory of Charles Folkers).
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mtmoriah.net for the Folkers family.
