Obituary of Charles Edward Shans

Charles Edward Shans, age 83, passed away on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, at his home in Ardmore, Okla. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, December 28, 2024, at Trinity Baptist Church of Ardmore with Pastor Terry Tolbert officiating. Interment to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Ardmore, Charles was born to Troy and Eula (Slack) Shans on April 2, 1941, at Mead, Oklahoma. He was the oldest child of eight siblings. He and his friends played baseball anytime and anywhere they could. Charles attended Durant High School until 1959. After high school, Charles served in the United States Air Force from 1961 until 1966. He served in Tripoli, Libya, in Northern Africa, for a year. He and his service friends flew to Rome, Italy, where they saw sights they had never seen and would not forget. After being honorably discharged, he returned to Durant, where he met Miss Lucille Barker on a blind date. They married on October 21, 1967, and had just celebrated 57 years of marriage. Charles was a pitcher growing up. His best pitches were a fastball and a cutter pitch. He played for the American Legion team in high school, for the Ardmore Braves, on US Air Force ball teams, and for the church team. Charles would not brag about his talent, so most did not know of those years. Charles became a Christian in April of 1967 and was a long-time member of Trinity Baptist Church. Over the years, he worked for Colvert’s Dairy, for Stromberg-Carlson at the Ardmore Air Park from 1966 until 1970, and then at Uniroyal/Michelin until, after 30 years of service, he retired in 2002. He will be remembered for being a good man, husband and father. He was preceded in death by his parents, Troy and Eula Shans, daughter, Kari Lynn (Shans) Owens, who passed in 2013, sister: Virginia (Shans) Whittington, and brother: Joe Shans. Survived by wife of 57 years, Lucille Shans of Ardmore, son, Charles Brian Shans, of Jenks, Okla., grandson, Isaac Shans, of Tulsa, Okla., sisters: Judy Watson, Karen Roberts, and Donna Hartline, all of Durant, Okla., brothers: Billy Shans and wife, Ann, of Durant, and Troy Shans, Jr., and wife, Sharlette of Lone Grove, Okla., numerous extended family members, and church and community friends.