Obituary for Charles Whorlow
Charles “Chuck” William Whorlow, age 96, of Joplin, Missouri, passed away Friday, January 7th, 2022. Chuck enjoyed few things more than spending time with family, playing games (and harassing his grandchildren while playing cards), and treating whoever he could ice cream. He enjoyed joking and light-hearted teasing as well as meeting new friends.
He was born December 7, 1925, in Grant City, Missouri to Albert and Augusta (Payton) Whorlow. He graduated from Grant City High School in 1944.
Chuck met the love of his life Glatha “Gay” when she worked for him in the produce department in the Hy-Vee grocery store in Grant City, Missouri. Rumor has it that Chuck didn’t approve of the way Gay stacked tomatoes, but the two were able to see past their differences in produce handling and started dating in July 1950. They were married on December 9, 1951, in Maryville, Missouri. They spent a total of $22.73 on an extravagant honeymoon in Kansas City. Most of what they experienced in their married life, they did together as a couple: raising their family in church, running a family grocery store, working at 3M on the same shift for many years, volunteering, enjoying cruises and other travel adventures. Gay passed away only one month shy of their 70th wedding anniversary on November 8, 2021.
Chuck served in the US Army Medical Corps during the Korean War from 1949-1951. Chuck spent the majority of his service at Fort Sill, Oklahoma working on the maternity ward. Chuck loved to tell the story of having to get a tooth pulled while he was in the service and waking up days later, much to the delight of the medical staff who had given him enough ether and anesthesia to knock him out for 3 full days. Chuck was shocked that he woke up in the maternity ward, as that was the only bed available.
Chuck earned a living through various jobs, including working for Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City, Hy-Vee Grocery in Missouri and Iowa, as a salesman for Gooch’s Food products, and Fareway Grocery in Webster City, Iowa. Most notably, he and his wife, Gay, along with their three children, operated Whorlow Grocery in Boxholm, Iowa from 1968 until 1973. Chuck then went to work at the 3M plant in Ames, Iowa, where he retired in 1991 after 17 years of employment. He was a member of Villa Heights Christian Church and had volunteered at ARM (American Rehabilitation Ministry), and Meals on Wheels for many years.
He was preceded in death by his wife Glatha (Goff) Whorlow, parents Albert and Augusta Whorlow, siblings Lottie (Whorlow) Duncan and Bobby Whorlow, son Mike Whorlow, and a great grandson Gabriel Trupp.
Chuck is survived by his daughter, Dianne (Rick) Vaught of Great Falls, Montana; his son, Gary (Lisa) Whorlow of New Palestine, Indiana; 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; as well as numerous extended family and friends.
A Celebration of Life service is scheduled for 11:00 am Monday June 20, 2022 at Mason-Woodard Mortuary Joplin, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, contributions are requested to ARM (American Rehabilitation Ministry) and may be sent in care of the mortuary.
He was born December 7, 1925, in Grant City, Missouri to Albert and Augusta (Payton) Whorlow. He graduated from Grant City High School in 1944.
Chuck met the love of his life Glatha “Gay” when she worked for him in the produce department in the Hy-Vee grocery store in Grant City, Missouri. Rumor has it that Chuck didn’t approve of the way Gay stacked tomatoes, but the two were able to see past their differences in produce handling and started dating in July 1950. They were married on December 9, 1951, in Maryville, Missouri. They spent a total of $22.73 on an extravagant honeymoon in Kansas City. Most of what they experienced in their married life, they did together as a couple: raising their family in church, running a family grocery store, working at 3M on the same shift for many years, volunteering, enjoying cruises and other travel adventures. Gay passed away only one month shy of their 70th wedding anniversary on November 8, 2021.
Chuck served in the US Army Medical Corps during the Korean War from 1949-1951. Chuck spent the majority of his service at Fort Sill, Oklahoma working on the maternity ward. Chuck loved to tell the story of having to get a tooth pulled while he was in the service and waking up days later, much to the delight of the medical staff who had given him enough ether and anesthesia to knock him out for 3 full days. Chuck was shocked that he woke up in the maternity ward, as that was the only bed available.
Chuck earned a living through various jobs, including working for Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City, Hy-Vee Grocery in Missouri and Iowa, as a salesman for Gooch’s Food products, and Fareway Grocery in Webster City, Iowa. Most notably, he and his wife, Gay, along with their three children, operated Whorlow Grocery in Boxholm, Iowa from 1968 until 1973. Chuck then went to work at the 3M plant in Ames, Iowa, where he retired in 1991 after 17 years of employment. He was a member of Villa Heights Christian Church and had volunteered at ARM (American Rehabilitation Ministry), and Meals on Wheels for many years.
He was preceded in death by his wife Glatha (Goff) Whorlow, parents Albert and Augusta Whorlow, siblings Lottie (Whorlow) Duncan and Bobby Whorlow, son Mike Whorlow, and a great grandson Gabriel Trupp.
Chuck is survived by his daughter, Dianne (Rick) Vaught of Great Falls, Montana; his son, Gary (Lisa) Whorlow of New Palestine, Indiana; 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; as well as numerous extended family and friends.
A Celebration of Life service is scheduled for 11:00 am Monday June 20, 2022 at Mason-Woodard Mortuary Joplin, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, contributions are requested to ARM (American Rehabilitation Ministry) and may be sent in care of the mortuary.