Charles "Charlie" Holton

It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Charles Schafer Holton on August 25, 2024, surrounded by family. With his renewed eyesight, Charlie is now playing the golf round of his dreams, shooting his age of 83.

Charlie was born in Livonia, Michigan on August 3, 1941 and spent most of his childhood in Lansing, Michigan. He graduated from Lansing Sexton High School where he found his love of sports including baseball, basketball, and eventually golf. Here, Charlie met lifelong friends Dave and Tammy Walsh who introduced Charlie to the love of his life, Betty Jean Brake (B.J.) and they were married 63 years.

Family Who Went Before

Charlie was predeceased by his father, Charles Corwin Holton, who died in 1973 and his mother, Lenore Schafer Holton, who died in the year 2000, and his daughter Joann Lynn Holton who died in 1971.

Family He Left Behind

Charlie is survived by Betty Jean Holton (Brake), children Michelle Lenore Jump (Don), Nicole Angela Hoffman (Eric), grandchildren Kelsey Weyhing (Jacob Radecki), Nikolai D. Jump (Alexis Stuart), Courtney Weyhing (Nathan Driggers), Isaak D. Jump (Tyler Sadilek), Taegan Hoffman (Rohitha Rajasekar), Griffin Hoffman (Anna Szlembarski), and Addison Hoffman.

Also living are sisters Barbara Holton and Susan Cook (Holton).

Charlie had an illustrious baseball career pitching for Michigan State University. He put himself through college winning at bridge and hustling the pool table. He was a loyal Ford guy, was on the road for Ford Motor Company for 14 years and owned and operated Ken Stillwell Ford Mercury, Inc in Hillsdale, Michigan for 27 years.

Charlie resided in Naples, Florida and Bellaire, Michigan where he loved the beauty of nature on the Grass River. He enjoyed golfing, boating, shooting pool, and laughing with his family and friends.

Charlie was dedicated to community service and was a member of the Hillsdale Exchange Club, Board member for the Hillsdale Golf and Country Club, Michigan Auto Dealers Association, Ford Dealer Advertising Fund Board (Board member, VP), Hillsdale State Savings Bank/Fifth Third Board of Directors, Hillsdale County MSU Alumni Club founding member, Bellaire Community Methodist Church, Cedar Hammock Golf and Country Club in Naples, Hawk’s Eye and the Chief golf courses in Bellaire, Grass River Natural Area in Bellaire, Bellaire Senior Center as well as holding board positions in many important community organizations along the way.

A celebration of Charlie’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, September 9, 2024, at the Bellaire United Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hillsdale Athletic Boosters, Hillsdale High School, Attn: Athletic Boosters, 30 S. Norwood St., Hillsdale, MI 49242, the Bellaire Public Schools Athletic Department, 204 W. Forest Home Ave., Bellaire, MI 49615, or Grass River Natural Area, PO Box 231, Bellaire, MI 49615 (online at https://www.grassriver.org/donate-now.html).

Arrangements are in the care of the Bellaire Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign his online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com