Charles Tuffley

All who knew Charles Tuffley would agree that there was no one quite like him. He was a hardworking man who also took the time to enjoy life along the way, and his zest for life was truly contagious. A loving family man, Charles loved being a husband and father, but he just might have argued that there wasn’t anything better than becoming a grandfather. He was always one to make the best of things, and he loved making others smile. Deeply loved, Charles will never be forgotten.

It seems only fitting that Charles was born during a decade that was as vibrant as he was. It was the 1950s when James Dean and Marilyn Monroe dominated the silver screen while Elvis Presley took the music world by storm with his rock ’n roll music. The baby boom was underway, and with shows like Father Knows Best the way we saw the average American family was forever changed. Amidst this exciting time was the year 1956 when Jesse Claire and Monna Marie (Moore) Tuffley were pleased to announce the birth of the baby boy they named Charles Thomas on January 13th. Born in Boscobel, Wisconsin, he was one of five children as he was joined in his family by his brothers, Robert and Ronald, and his sisters, Patricia and Janis. In many ways Charles was a young boy of his generation, and he attended local schools.

After graduating from East Noble High School in 1975, Charles was eager for all that life had in store. A hardworking man, he was employed with Lewger Machine in Kendallville for 37 years. Charles was good with his hands, which made his job a perfect fit. He was filled with unspeakable joy to spend his time away from work with his loved ones. Charles was blessed to be a father to six amazing children including Kyle, Ben, Derek, Charles D., Danielle, and Travis. In 1992, Charles was deeply saddened with the death of his son, Travis. He was an active part of his children’s lives, and their family traditions were always near and dear to his heart. Charles loved spending the holidays with family, and when grandchildren came along he was so eager to welcome more loved ones into his heart. He always made a point of being there for all their birthday parties and other special events. Charles was so good with his grandsons and treasured the time he spent with them.

Later in life Charles was in for some new and exciting changes when he met a woman by the name of Melissa Lou Coney in 2001. They met while he was running his karaoke machine at a bar on the weekend. Melissa couldn’t help but notice how cute he was thinking he could sing, but in reality he wasn’t really all that great at it. In the end she was smitten with the way he sang Johnny Cash songs, and the rest is history as they say. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together, Charles and Melissa were married on August 31, 2010, in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin.

Throughout his life Charles was one to keep busy and was a man of many interests. From the time he was a young boy he was an avid hunter, and he loved everything about the outdoors. Even when it came to the shows he watched on television he was an avid outdoorsman as he loved the Discovery Channel as well as nature, outdoor, and hunting channels. Charles hunted deer, turkey, squirrel, and wild boar, and he also trapped otter, coon, and muskrat. He also enjoyed mushroom hunting. He loved taking Melissa back Wisconsin every year and showing her all the special places he remembered from when he grew up. Charles also enjoyed watching American Pickers and actually toured where the show is produced. As his family and friends can attest, Charles could fix anything and always seemed to have at least one project going. He loved his Harley, and he was a huge Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre fan.

An all around good guy, Charles Tuffley brought the world around him to life. He loved making others laugh, and he knew just how to push the buttons of his friends and loved ones. Someone who could see the positive side of anything, Charles was always happy. Although he will be deeply missed, he leaves behind a priceless collection of memories that his loved ones will forever cherish.

Charles Thomas Tuffley, died unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at his rural Corunna residence. Charles is survived by his wife, Melissa Tuffley of Corunna; son, Kyle (Carolyn) Tuffley of Fort Wayne; son, Ben (Ashley) Tuffley of Kendallville; son, Derek Tuffley of Kendallville; son, Charles D. Tuffley of Goshen; daughter, Danielle Tuffley of Goshen; stepson, Patrick (Amber) Biddle of Corunna’ stepdaughter, Jessi Albright and Carissa Cook of Goshen; six grandsons: Collin Tuffley, Travis Tuffley, Damien Tuffley, Simon Tuffley, Oliver Tuffley, and Jesse Tuffley; seven step-grandchildren: Rylee, Gavyn, Delaynee, Anthony, Preston, Layla, and Austin; brother, Robert (Pam) Tuffley of Big Long Lake; brother, Ronald (Sharon) Tuffley of Stroh; sister, Patricia (Dr. Michael Cox) of Kendallville; sister, Janis (John) Engerman of Columbia City; aunt, Eileen (Moore) Sutton of Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin; mother-in-law, Patricia Coney of Corunna; many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Charles was also preceded in death by his son, Travis Tuffley in October of 1992. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 2, 2017, from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Hite Funeral Home in Kendallville. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. at Hite Funeral Home with Pastor David Bolen officiating. Burial will take place at Lake View Cemetery in Kendallville. Memorial donations may be made to Black Pine Animal Sanctuary or Kendallville Parks and Recreation. Share a memory or send a condolence at www.hitefuneralhome.com.