On December 1, 2024, a wintry morning in Pennsylvania, Charles Frederic Workman, Jr. passed peacefully in his sleep at Holy Redeemer Hospital at the age of 80.

Charles, known by his family and friends as Chuck, was born in New Orleans on November 8, 1944 to Ivel and Charles Fredrick Workman, Sr. He loved the Big Easy his whole life, and no matter where he was, had a quick appreciation for good music, good drinks, good food, and laughter.

The middle sibling between Lynne, the elder, and Brian, the younger, Chuck was a sweet, outgoing kid, the middleman between an introspective bibliophile and a daredevil.

The family moved from New Orleans, to Houston, and eventually to Pennsylvania, where Chuck attended North Penn High School and ran his skinny butt off. Like his Dad, long-limbed and quick, he also sprinted at LSU on track scholarship for a stint, where he took a liking to the writing of the Beats. These literary attentions were eclipsed by the Vietnam War and monolithic draft. Chuck served during Vietnam in Anchorage, Alaska, at Fort Richardson as a personnel specialist, and, in his off hours, as a bartender at the Officer’s Club.

When he was honorably discharged in 1968, he drove cross-country west to east in a red hardtop Sunbeam Alpine; at some point along the way the gear shift of the car came out of its socket, but he eventually returned to Pennsylvania.

In 1969 at a Valentine’s Day party, Chuck met his future wife Cas (née Carol Schreiber), a young, effervescent school teacher with long legs and a big smile. The two hit it off, went to W oodstock, and were married June 6, the following year. Early in their marriage, their television broke, and instead of replacing it immediately, Chuck shared his love of reading with Cas, and the two spent the summer with their noses in books like Herman Hesse’s Demian, and Cas became a lifelong avid reader thereafter.

Their first daughter Elisabeth, now a poet and writer, was born in 1976, followed by Carrie in 1979, now an educator. Chuck embraced his role in the family and suburban life, from his Cosby Show sweaters to his tireless home improvement zeal to bedtime readings of Bread and Jam for Francis in funny badger voices to his love of Dad Rock and superior sound systems. He had an affable goofiness about him, and when he was a bartender at the Kulpsville Tavern, it seemed everywhere they went, people knew Chuck’s name.

Chuck later went on to work as Project Manager at Bissinger; Stein Seal Co, before retiring in 2004. In his post-work years, he enjoyed reading and walking his beloved dog and doing yard work and, in winter, cozying up to the fireplace. He and Cas made several cross country trips to visit their daughters and their families in Texas and Minnesota.

In his final years, Chuck developed dementia, and though his memory seemed to recede from his consciousness completely, there was still a very present and fun-loving spirit in Chuck till the very end. He is survived by his wife Cas, his daughters Beth and Carrie, his son-in-law Paul, his granddaughters Beatrix, Zoe, Emma, and Coco, and his favorite dog Patches. A celebration of Chuck’s life will be held at Simcox-McIlvaine Funeral Home on Saturday, 532 E. Main St, Lansdale, PA 1944, December 7th, at 11:00am (visitation 10:00am-11:00am). All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.