Charles Brandley, 79, passed away on February 4, 2022, going to his heavenly reward, surrounded by loved ones in his home on the farm where he was raised. Charles dedicated his life to God and his church, his family and friends, his community, and the family farm.
A third-generation native of El Reno, Oklahoma, he was born on August 13, 1942, to Vernon and Laverne “Bobbie” (Johnson) Brandley.
He was an El Reno High School graduate (1960) where he served as the junior class president. He helped plan numerous class reunions and enjoyed meeting his classmates for weekly lunches for many years. Charles attended two years at El Reno Junior College (now Redlands Community College) and Southwestern State College in Weatherford (now Southwestern Oklahoma State University).
He married the love of his life, Cherlyn “Cherri” (Maass) Brandley, on March 24, 1971, and they recently celebrated fifty years of devoted marriage.
Charles loved his work. From 1972 to 1977 he managed the fertilizer-aerial spraying division of Calumet Industries. He owned and operated his own aerial spraying business, Brandley Flying Service, for 12 years. He served as Canadian County District 3 commissioner from 1991 to 1999, and among his many projects were the installation of 911 service in the unincorporated county, the building of the Freedom Trail accessible playground in Yukon, and the establishment of the Gary E. Miller Children’s Justice Center. He served as the chair of the Heaston Rural Water Association for 10 years, director of the Oklahoma Ag-Chem Association for eight years and president of the Oklahoma Agricultural Aviation Association. He was named Canadian County Citizen of the Year in 1995.
He loved to fly airplanes, and a recent joy was getting to fly in a WWII vintage naval trainer.
He especially loved farming the land he grew up on, beginning as a child working with his grandpa Warne Brandley and dad Vernon.
Charles was preceded in death by his father, Vernon Brandley. He is survived by his wife, Cherlyn “Cherri” (Maass) Brandley of El Reno; his mother, Laverne “Bobbie” Brandley, 99, of El Reno; his daughters Amy Brandley of El Reno and Evelyn Brandley of Austin, Texas; granddaughter Rosemary Brandley of Oklahoma City; sister Betty (Brandley) Chappell and husband Dale of Edmond, Oklahoma; several nieces and nephews and many beloved friends.
Service will be 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Okarche, Friday, February 11 with graveside following at El Reno Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial donations to St. John’s Lutheran Church, Okarche, and Russell Murray Hospice, El Reno.
