Charley C. Minium

Charley C. Minium, 85, passed away peacefully on November 22, 2016 surrounded by family and friends. He was born at the rural family home north of Morland, Kansas July 12, 1931. He was the fourth of six children born to Lynn and Verna (Waggoner) Minium. The Minium children attended Rural Grand View Country School through the eighth grade. Following grade school, Charley attended Morland High School, graduating in 1948. He was active in football, breaking his nose while competing for a division title. Growing up on a farm, Charley and the other Minium children learned the value of hard work, something Charley carried with him until his final days. His father fell ill and was partially paralyzed when Charley was around ten years old. Following this illness his father relied on his children to run the farm. He liked to harvest wheat and started Charley and his brothers custom harvesting at a young age. Charley would drive the tractor while his cousin Donna (Minium) Toll would run the combine. They harvested from Oklahoma to North Dakota. After the invention of self-propelled combines, South Dakota became one of their best stops. Even at a young age, the Minium Brothers were in charge while away from home. When they got older, the brothers would take turns running the harvest crew, until Vuel (Pete) joined the service. When Pete returned, Charley was happy to turn over operations to Pete for “his turn”. Charley purchased the local fuel delivery and gas station from Mrs. Hedgepath in 1955, shortly after marrying Faye (Riggs) Minium. When Charley took over this business, his chief assets were only an old truck and an adding machine. Due to his strong work ethic and good business sense, the Bulk Fuel and Gas Station were soon thriving, with Charley delivering fuel and getting new accounts. He supplied fuel to large projects including the construction of Highway 24 and Sheridan Lake. Brother Pete ran a trucking business and supplied fuel to Charley, sometimes as many as twelve loads a month. Along with fuel delivery, they repaired cars, trucks and even expanded into fertilizer. Charley was united in marriage to Faye E. Riggs on February 5, 1955 and they were an inseparable pair for 60 years until she passed on July 13, 2015. They started their life together in a small apartment in WaKeeney until purchasing the Sinclair Station and moving to Morland. Charley and Faye were involved in many organizations and very active members of the Morland Community. Charley was a member of the Morland Community Foundation, Morland United Methodist Church, a Charter member of the Morland Lion's Club, Rural Telephone Board of Directors, Citizens State Bank Board of Directors, Member of Milbrook Lodge #281 AF & AM, Scottish Rite, Shriners and Solomon Valley Hwy 24 Heritage Alliance. Charley had a passion for fishing. One of his favorite times of the year was the Annual Spoonbill Fishing Trip to Lake Texhoma, Oklahoma with friends and family. He also enjoyed hunting. On one trip, Charley even successfully brought down a mangy moose, who still resides prominently in the Prairie Junction Restaurant. He was always active and had a unique talent for welding and forging. Some of the things he created were a sawmill and hand forged frogs. His creations are still on display at Prairie Junction. Charlie could also be called a tinkerer, he had a way of taking “old junk” and making it into “new junk”! Charley was a people person, whom children couldn't resist. He could often be found with a young person tagging along. Charley and Faye sponsored five foreign exchange students. He was even brave enough to teach Sophia from Greece how to drive! Charley and Faye liked to travel, taking trips to Amsterdam and Finland to visit the families of students they had hosted. They also hosted the students’ families in their home. One trip they always laughed about was their Kansas mountain climbing experience with good friend Dave Harding. During later years, Charley raised buffalo in his pasture on the north side of Morland. He loved to take treats to his animals, the buffalo quickly learned to come on the run when Charley honked his pickup horn! Charley's favorite was the bull, “Studly” who would always be the first to arrive, taking the biggest share of whatever treat Charley brought. Charley will be remembered for his quick wit, unique one liners, and his talents which he gave freely to one and all. Charley will be deeply missed by: a brother, Pete Minium, of Morland; a sister, Mary Banister and husband Terry, of Mesa, Arizona; sisters-in-law: Charlotte Keith of Morland, Marilyn Rowlison and husband Jack, of Morland, and Beulah Brown of High Springs, Florida and many, many, nieces and nephews.