Skip to main content

Rev. Charles W. Lunkley

Rev. Charles W. Lunkley, 100, of Marion, and having ties to Huntington, IN, died Monday, March 18, 2019, at 3:15 p.m. at Suite Living Senior Community in Marion.

Rev. Lunkley received his B.A. from McPherson College in McPherson, KS, and went on to receive his M.Div. from Bethany Theological Seminary. He was ordained to ministry in the Church of the Brethren in 1942. Following his pastorate in Prairie City, IA, from 1946 to 1950, he was in missionary service in Nigeria, West Africa, from 1950 to 1962. Following his missionary service, he was director of interpretation at American Leprosy Mission in New York, NY, from 1969 to 1970, pastor of Church of the Brethren in Huntington from 1970 to 1977, district secretary of Church of the Brethren in Northern Plains and Missouri from 1977 to 1984, chaplain of Timbercrest Church of the Brethren Home Inc., in North Manchester from 1984 to 1987 and chaplain of Suite Living Retirement Home in Marion in his later years.  He had also pastored in Alabama earlier in his ministry.

He was born July 2, 1918, in Sioux Falls, SD, to John W. and Olive M. Orman Lunkley. He married Rozella Welsh on May 1, 1939, and she preceded him in death on Feb. 23, 2007.

Survivors include a daughter, Carolyn (Hardey) McDaniel, of Marion; a son, James (Judith) Lunkley, of Moulton, IA; a brother, John Lunkley, of Rio Rancho, NM; three grandchildren, Jeannie (Eric) Walts, of Marion, and James (Lori) McDaniel and Christopher (Candi) McDaniel, both of Kokomo; eight great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Calling is Thursday, March 21, 2019, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Needham-Storey-Wampner Funeral Service, North Chapel, 1341 N. Baldwin Ave., Marion. A funeral service will be held Friday, March 22, 2019, at 10 a.m. at Church of the Brethren, 2302 S. Geneva Ave., Marion. Rev. Robin Wentworth Mayer will officiate, with burial following at Jefferson Cemetery.

Memorials are to Church of the Brethren, Nigerian Disaster Relief Fund.

Online condolences may be made at www.nswcares.com.