Charles Rife

Rife, Charles S. 7/25/1953 - 6/18/2022 Gobles Passed away Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Rose Arbor, Kalamazoo. Charlie was born July 25, 1953 in Grand Rapids, son of the late Corwin and Elizabeth Rife and had lived his entire life in the Gobles area. Charlie was a man who could fix anything but dinner. He shared his father's dream of self-sustainability. He was a very knowledgeable man and loved to share what he knew with anyone. Charlie was very mechanically minded, fixing watches and clocks from the age of 8. From there it was on to motorcycles, then cars, he was willing to work on anything. He was a farmer and gardener always striving to stay organic. Charlie was a wonderful friend and neighbor and was willing to give anyone the shirt off his back. He also served as a Cub Scout leader. Charlie was a lover of Civil War reenactment and had led the local VFW post members in the Gobles and Otsego / Plainwell Memorial Day Parades for many years. Even during the covid shutdown, Charlie still marched through Gobles playing his drum. Charlie could be a talker and met a stranger only once. More than anything though Charlie loved his family and cherished every moment they spent together. Surviving is his wife of nearly 22 years, Deb; children, Careen Rife, Catie Rife, Colton Rife, Jennifer (Joe) Coudron, Trisha Winkler, Rachel Nuyen; 12 grandchildren; siblings, Spencer (Dr. Lynn) Rife, James (Karen) Agopian, Sandy (Joe) Leonard; his first wife, Lourene Rife. He was preceded in death by a stepdaughter, Gretchen Olan, and his parents. Funeral services will take place on Friday, June 24th, 11 AM at the Gobles Chapel, D. L. Miller Funeral Home, www.dlmillerfuneralhome.com. Interment will follow in Earl Cemetery. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to gbmresearch.org