Charles (aka Bubba) H. King IV

Charles H. King IV

March 28, 1943 – October 8, 2019

Chuck (aka Bubba) fought a valiant, epic battle against the challenge of a bad heart and lung cancer.

 Just a few Bubba-isms that exemplify who he was and the legacy he has left behind.

Give ‘em steel!

Whether you were just starting off on a normal day or had something special happening like a big meeting, interview, etc., “Give ‘em steel!” was his send-off. Be your best, have courage, fight the good fight...he was a man who didn’t back down. In business deals, protecting a cherry tree on hole #17, fighting numerous health challenges over the years, he was a warrior with a never give up attitude and drive. He built an incredibly successful Property & Casualty Insurance career spanning over 40 years. If there was a challenge, he was up for it.

If you don’t know what to say, just say thank you.

He showed appreciation and gratitude to all. He welcomed people in with his blue eyes and warm smile. He emphasized how much it meant to people to let them know they are seen and that what they do is important, especially those in jobs that don’t often generate our respect. If someone is saying mean things to you or about you, saying thank you really annoys them and is your best defense.

Keep the faith!

Another call to fighting the good fight. He was a man of great faith. He didn’t always do the right things and he wasn’t perfect, but he continued to try to get better each day through reading his devotional, singing praises in the choir, serving his church family and growing his relationship with God. He also remained a faithful husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, friend to many and Browns fan. He wasn’t into gossip or shallow relationships. If you were his friend, you were a friend for life. This mantra was also his way of living authentically and uniquely. He didn’t do or buy things for show and, yet, his style was all his own. From feathers in his hats, flashy socks before they were cool, unique items of apparel to coffee mugs and tshirts that made you look twice, he wasn’t afraid to be noticed – not really for himself but because he got joy out of seeing others smile at his quirky ways.

You’ve got to take the whole package, not just the good stuff.

If ever jealous of what someone else had or exceptions to the rules someone else received, he would remind us that you don’t just get to take the good stuff, you have to take all of the hard stuff that comes with it. Life isn’t as simple as it seems on the surface and when you look at others with envy, you really don’t know what battles they are fighting or how much work they put into getting where they are.

If you borrow something, always return it in the same or better condition than when you received it.

He left the world and our lives better because of our relationship with him. Crystal Lake has less swimmer’s itch because of his efforts through the Crystal Lake & Watershed Association and perhaps through utilizing his own duck hunting know-how. His church and the choir were made better by his generosity and sometimes appropriate jokes. There will always be some extra names of one-timers who attended church with him, like Jim Naisium, Ella Vaytor and Bob Sledd. He kept his material possessions immaculate and long beyond their fashionable lifespan, like his 1970’s tennis warm-up outfit, used cars (never buy new), shoes and ties that went in and out and back into fashion. Things could always be fixed and didn’t need to be replaced. He cherished experiences and made sharing them memorable. He left us all better people.

Change your own oil. Don’t leave your bike out. Saturday morning list of chores slid under our doors. Do the hardest job first. Think of the next guy. Put it back where you found it…

Earn everything, work hard and take care of what you have. He lived this and instilled it in others.

No hats at the dinner table. No elbows on the table. Wrap up the used coffee filters. Here’s how to properly load a dishwasher. Three squares of toilet paper are sufficient. The toilet paper flap should be at the top, not behind. Paper napkins, tissues and plastic sandwich bags can certainly be used multiple times.

There were certain, in his mind, undeniable rules which should be obvious to all. If not adhered to, it really got under his skin. He wasn’t at all shy to remind family members and, causing the rest of us great embarrassment at times, perfect strangers.

Common Bubba responses to usual questions:

“Can I get you anything else?” would be met with, “Yes. The winning lottery ticket.”

“How are you today?” response, “If I were any better, I’d make myself sick.”

Bubba, as he was named by his grandsons, loved family, spending time outdoors, his dogs, adventure/discovering new things, dancing and singing. Time with his brothers and dad at the French River and Ottawa Hunt Club was cherished. He was often late, easily distracted and diverted to “check things out” (causing him to miss flights, create search parties, etc.). He could make a new friend anywhere. He loved watching sports and playing golf, especially at Crystal Downs in Frankfort, MI. His heart was equally in Chagrin Falls, OH and Crystal Lake, MI. He had a unique sense of humor and loved a good practical joke. He spent hours (if not days) sending funny emails and stirring the pot with political cartoons, sometimes missing the mark with recipients of such correspondence. He chose his words more slowly than carefully. It took him hours to shop and even longer to cook his favorite clam linguini. He was a man of great faith, loved the Federated Church, Congregational Summer Assembly and singing in their choirs. He’d drive 10 miles out of the way to save two cents a gallon on gas.  In all things and with all people, he cherished life and relationships. He had great hair.

Bubba is survived by Patricia, his wife of 55 years, son Charles H. King V. (Bridget) and grandsons Chase, Brett and Jon, daughter Amy King Schindler (Eddie) and grandsons Coleman, Peyton and Walker, brothers Steven W. King (Meg) and Douglas A. King, sister-in-law Elizabeth Ries (Ron) and many wonderful nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Federated Church in Chagrin Falls, OH on Saturday, October 26 at 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you honor his legacy with a donation to the Federated Church (76 Bell St, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022) or Crystal Lake & Watershed Association (P.O. Box 89, Beulah, MI 49617).

As you remember Charles H. King IV/Chuck/Bubba, we hope you will live the rest of your life so well, you almost can’t stand how happy you are and that you receive and share the winning lottery ticket. He’d really like that. Oh – and please learn how to load the dishwasher correctly!

We would also greatly appreciate any pictures and/or stories you are willing to share as we create a memory book for his grandsons and generations to come. We’ve named it, Becoming Bubba. Please email aschindler77@gmail.com and/or submit your favorite Bubba-ism, story, photo, etc. in the Guestbook section of the website.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Charles (aka Bubba) H. King IV, please visit our floral store.