Dr. Charles Rufus Woelfel

Dr. Charles Rufus “Baby Ray” Woelfel, on June 21, 2023, passed away at his home in Winston Salem, North Carolina, lying next to his beloved wife Marion Patricia Woelfel, surrounded by his children Charlene Charito Hightower, Marchelle Konwelee Woelfel, Kamah Ruvina “Kay Kay” Woelfel, and Charles Chris Woelfel, as he gave his last breath, closed his eyes and gave them all a smile.

Dr. Charles Woelfel was born on May 7, 1944, at the Firestone Duside Hospital, in Harbel Liberia, West Africa. His father, Charles Woelfel, went to Liberia to work for Firestone, and fell in love with his beautiful mother, Sareptha Johnson. That relationship was blessed with Charles Rufus Woelfel, later nicknamed 'Baby Ray'. Dr. Charles Rufus Woelfel began his early education in Kakata at St. Christopher Elementary where his mother lived. He later attended the esteemed St. Patrick High School in Monrovia, Liberia where he graduated with Honors in 1964. After Dr. Woelfel’s graduation from High School, he enrolled at the University of Liberia and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Forestry. Later, the Liberian Government offered him the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) scholarship to obtain his Master’s degree at Yale University in the United States of America, which he completed in 1972. He returned to his homeland and worked for the University of Liberia, teaching Forestry, and managing the University Farm. In 1977, Dr. Woelfel received another scholarship to do his PhD at The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York. His most valued accomplishment was acquiring his Ph.D in 1993, dissertation titled: The growth and development of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L) Karst.) in relation to soil conditions on Heiberg Memorial Forest. This body of work continues to be one of the most used dissertations at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry today. Regrettably, Dr. Woelfel could not return to Liberia to teach, which was his dream, due to the 1980 Coup d’état which destabilized the country. He remained optimistic and instead built a professional career in education in various private sector positions in the United States until his retirement from the Baltimore City School District in Baltimore, Maryland. After retiring, he decided to relocate to Winston Salem, North Carolina with his wife and spent his remaining years in his garden, with children and grandchildren, eating fufu and soup, watching soccer and writing great speeches about wisdom, integrity and positively changing the trajectory of the world around us.

Dr. Woelfel had many achievements; however, he often referenced his toured forestry operations and research activities in Ghana, Sierra Leone, United States Department of Agriculture and Forest Service and his work with the Institute of Tropical Forestry in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. One of the crowning jewels in his agricultural journey was the blessing of being able to travel back to Liberia in 2011 and view the trees that he planted by what was then known as the executive mansion in Liberia at full maturation more than 30 years later. Dr. Woelfel was also a member of several professional organizations, which include the Society of American Foresters, Pan African Association of Central New York, The All Liberian Conference of North America, Inc and a Volunteer Member and Executive Director of The Liberian Environmental and Humanitarian Foundation. He was well known in Africa as one of the most famous Soccer Players of his time, even playing on the Liberian National team that was part of the 1964 Olympic elimination for the World Cup. He was a team member for the Invincible Eleven Soccer Team, commonly known as IE for a short; however; later joined the Mighty Barrolle where he was player, team manager and president. He remained an active member of the Elders Mighty Barrolle until his death. The motto of the Mighty Barrolle is NEVER DESPAIR, meaning, as Dr. Woelfel always noted, never give up or get discouraged.

Dr. Charles “Baby Ray” Woelfel is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marion Roberts Woelfel, 4 children: Dr. Charlene Charito Hightower(Bryan), Marchelle Konwelee Woelfel , Kamah “KK Woelfel (Virgil Webb) and Charles Chris Woelfel(Starr). Ten grandchildren: Byanca Hightower Beasley, Bryson and Cameron Hightower, Alexis-Skyy Woelfel, Denise Coleman, Kendyl, Parker and Kason Webb, Skye and Charles Woelfel. Five sisters: Aletha Koswa Woelfel, Mary Dunbar, Georgette Yates, Patricia Grimes, and Myrtle Dean Sirleaf; two brothers: Winston Sweedie Williams and Alphonso Richardson. He was predeceased by his Father and Mother: Charles Woelfel and Sareptha Johnson, Brothers: Harold Quarshie Woelfel and Buster Bowinka Grimes.

Family requests donations be made to the Glioblastoma Foundation to help the standard care for Glioblastoma research (see link below).