Charles R. French Jr.

Charles R. French Jr., 79, North Manchester, Indiana, passed away at 8:04 a.m. on April 26, 2016 at Peabody Healthcare Center, North Manchester, Indiana. Charles was born on August 13, 1936 in Tipton County, Indiana, to Charles and Clara (Atkission) French Sr. He graduated from Laketon High School in 1954. After high school, Charles attended Manchester College for three and a half years, then went on to attended Garrett Seminary, Evanston, Illinois, for 2 years and graduated as a Deacon. On April 4, 1981 Charles married Cathy Kuhn. Charles worked for Peabody Seating, North Manchester, Indiana for seven years and Eaton Controls for twenty-eight years in various managerial positions. In 1997 he retired. Charles was a United Methodist Pastor for twenty-three years, serving at Paw Paw United Methodist in Miami County; Jalapa United Methodist, Grant County, Indiana; South Pleasant United Methodist, Wabash County, Indiana; Salem United Methodist, Huntington County, Indiana; and Ijamsville United Methodist Church, Wabash County, Indiana. Charles was a member of the North Manchester Rotary Club and engineering society. He was also a member of the North Manchester United Methodist Church, North Manchester, Indiana. Charles is survived by his wife Cathy French, North Manchester, Indiana; six sons John (Linda) French, North Manchester, Indiana, Tom (Janet) French, North Manchester, Indiana, Mike (Marcy) French, Angola, Indiana, Eric (Colleen) French, South Whitley, Indiana, Kurt (Rhonda) Henderson, Roann, Indiana, and Kevin (Anita) Henderson, North Manchester, Indiana; five daughters Rebecca (Eldon) Cook, North Manchester, Indiana, Susan (Jerry) Graybeal, Johnson City, Tennessee, Christine (Gary) Vanlandingham, Hartford, Michigan, Teresa (Ray) Allison, Goshen, Indiana, and JoEtta (Keith) Herrmann, North Manchester, Indiana; two brothers Kent (Judy) French, Silver Lake, Indiana and Bennie (Debra) French, Claypool, Indiana; two sisters Nancy (Bill) Bell, Wabash, Indiana and Penny (Joe) Deal, North Manchester, Indiana; thirty-five grandchildren; thirty-two great-grandchildren. Charles is preceded in death by his parents, and one grand-daughter, Jessica Thompson, who passed away in 2001. Friends and family may call Thursday, April 28, 2016 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m. at McKee Mortuary, 1401 State Road 114 West, North Manchester, Indiana, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday at the North Manchester United Methodist Church. Service will be Friday, April 29, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at the North Manchester United Methodist Church, 306 East Second Street, North Manchester, Indiana. Pastors Mark Eastway, Larry Ray, and David Mills will officiate. Burial will be at Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester, Indiana, following the service. For those who wish to honor the memory of Charles R. French Jr., memorial contributions can be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, 200 S.E. 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, Florida 33131, or the North Manchester United Methodist Church, 304 East Second Street, North Manchester, Indiana 46962. To send a private condolence to the French Family, use the condolence link on the McKee Mortuary homepage.