Charles Barthel's Obituary
Charles William Barthel, 72 of Tulsa, Oklahoma passed from this life on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at his home with family by his side. He was born April 25, 1947 in Los Angeles, California to his parents, Charles William Barthel and Marian Ruth Stowell Barthel. He married the love of his life, Akemi Sawada on December 4, 1970 in Malibu, California and they have shared in over 49 beautiful years together.
Charles is survived by his loving wife, Akemi Barthel of the home; his two daughters, Alissa Barthel of Minneapolis, MN and Yumi Davis and her husband Jeff of Norman, Oklahoma; four grandchildren, Jacob, Meya, Jase and Molly Davis all of Norman, Oklahoma; and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Marian Barthel.
Charles will be remembered for his heroic service to our country flying helicopters in the Vietnam War, as a dedicated family man who was beloved by his family, as a kind hearted and gentle soul with a fiery spirit, a story to tell, and a great sense of humor.
“Papa” was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He taught us so many things during this lifetime about hard work, dedication, love and faith. His impact will remain and his love will be with us always and forever. He prayed for his family, friends, and church until the end and his faith did not waiver. One of the things he kept saying in his final days was “arigato” which means “thank you” in Japanese. He wanted all the people who had been a part of his life to know that he was grateful for the time he had with each and every person. He will be deeply missed.
Visitation will be held from 3-7 p.m. on Sunday, February 16, 2020 at Floral Haven Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, February 17, 2020 at St. James United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Burial will follow at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Charles' honor to the Disabled American Veteran's (DAV) by going to www.dav.org
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