Charles Emmett Anders

Charles Emmett Anders, 94, of Olathe, Colorado entered into his eternal rest peacefully and with his family of children, grandchildren, and one great grandson present to say their goodbyes before he passed on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, at Delta Health Memorial Hospital.

Charles was born January 11, 1930, to Pearl Mae (Crouse) and John Calvin Anders of Olathe, Colorado. He lived with his family of three brothers and two sisters on the family farm. He joined the Army in 1946 when he was 16 years old. He was sent to San Antonio for basic training and served in the Seventh Air Force at Wheeler Field on Oahu, Hawaii. He lived in Scofield Barracks and was trained as an Army medic and also as rescue crew on the airfield where his love for airplanes and flying started. Charles was Honorably discharged from the Army in 1949 and returned to Olathe to marry his high school sweetheart, Bonnie Jean Santorno. They were married July 30, 1950, at the Olathe Baptist Church and they celebrated 58 years of marriage until her passing on September 9, 2008. On their 50th wedding anniversary their children took them to Hawaii where Charles went back to Scofield Barracks and pointed out bullet holes in the walls he remembered. It was a very memorable trip for him.

Charles worked numerous jobs in the area and was a man of many skills. He was a mechanic, heavy equipment operator, construction worker building roads, bridges and just moving dirt, but his dream after getting out of the Army was to fly, so he got his private and commercial pilots license on the GI Bill. Later he started Montrose Air Service where he gave flying lessons, chartered aircraft and grew a very active flying business in Montrose. He also managed Delta Air Service where he and Bonnie lived and worked together for many years and then moved to Nucla, Colorado for a year at that airport. Charles also was a crop duster, he worked for the Soil Conservation in Montrose and Montrose Valley Funeral Home. He liked helping people and was a hard worker. 

He owned a boat for many years and camping in the outdoors and going to Lake Powell to fish and teach his grandkids how to waterski was one of his favorite activities. He rode motorcycles with his buddies and flew remote control airplanes with many pilots in the area. Snowmobiling was one of his favorite things, especially at night through the trees. He was a fantastic dancer. He owned many camp trailers, didn’t camp so much in them as he just liked fixing them up, and he probably owned more trucks than anyone around. He liked to tinker and buy and sell. Charles could make any machine “sing” whether in the air or on the ground. Playing the piano by ear was a gift from God to Charles. He could play the boogie woogie like no one else, all by ear. Every now and then he needed a trip to Cortez to gamble a little, but never told how much he had to pay in order to win some. Charles lived a rich, full life in the Olathe, Montrose area leaving for jobs temporarily, but always coming back to Olathe his home. He was responsible for creating the beautiful place they lived, excavating the dirt, planting trees, digging a pond and planting grass to make a park atmosphere. They lived there for 30 years. He was also the one to create the park for the first Olathe Corn Festival in 1990, 34 years ago. He worked magic with a dozer and Olathe Sweet Corn was his favorite food.

Charles was preceded in death by his beloved wife Bonnie and his parents Pearl Mae (Crouse) and John Calvin Anders. His brothers, Gene Anders, John Anders, and Lowell Anders, two sisters Beulah Carrico and Ruth Richards and great grandson Bryce Johnson. He is survived by his three children, Melody Anders Sumner (Gary) Sherry Anders Johnson (Shawn) and Jeff Mackey. Four grandchildren, Jarrod Bruce Sumner (Pamela) Jacy Leigh Bowers (Joe) Cade Charles Johnson, (Vidya) and Kenneth Allen Johnson (Marina), nine great grandchildren, Jordan Bruce Sumner (Kassie), Cheyenne Sumner Eisenhart, (Daniel), Trenton Sumner Bowers, Elena Lee Bowers, Ali Bowers, Bradley Johnson, Bailey Johnson, Surya Charlie Johnson and Caleb Pandi Johnson, three great great grandchildren, Sophia Eisenhart, Lucas Eisenhart and Loralie Sumner.

A graveside service is scheduled for Friday, July 19, 2024, at Olathe, Cemetery, 10:00 AM.

Arrangements under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home, Montrose, Colorado.