Charles Wolverton

Charles E. Wolverton went to be with his Lord Jesus Christ on September 22, 2013. He was born on June 24, 1935 in Holton Kansas. His parents were Clarence and Lena Wolverton. The family moved with their three children to the Yakima Valley in Washington state in 1938 and settled in the Wide Hollow area of West Valley. It was there that the family grew Bosc pears and had a small dairy on a few acres. This area was a great place to be a young boy. Playing in the creeks, hunting, fishing, exploring, and numerous other outdoor activities occupied his days between chores and school. During these years he also developed a love for the fruit industry and the horses which were used to do the farm work. These interests stayed with him throughout his lifetime. He attended Willow Lawn grade school and then later was part of the first class of students to enter the new Highland High School as freshmen when the school opened in the fall of 1949. He graduated in 1953. During these years he raised pigs and a few sheep but also worked part-time fitting and showing rams for the Coffin Sheep Company. Chuck married Virginia Bale on July 31, 1954. They lived in the West Valley area where he worked as a custodian at the Ahtanum Valley School in Wiley City. Jobs were tough to find, so when he was told that Boeing was hiring, he applied and got a job. The family moved to Renton in 1957 where he was employed by Boeing for ten years. While he enjoyed that job, he always wanted to get back to Central Washington where he could fulfill his desire to farm. Although he had been promoted to supervisor in the quality control department, in 1967 he resigned from Boeing when they purchased 20 acres of fruit trees near Buena,Washington. This acreage consisted of apples, pears, cherries, prunes, & peaches. Some of his favorite hobbies included: riding horses, pack trips, camping, hunting, fishing, rodeos, gardening, and woodworking. Typically, these activities included friends, family, or both. In the late summer of 1968 a friend invited him on a horse and mule pack-in elk hunting trip to Red River, Idaho. Not only was it an amazing trip, the area drew him back on regular hunting trips and even led to the purchase of some acreage where he and his wife built a vacation cabin in 1997-98. The “Cabin at Red River” was where they spent much of their summers from the late 1990’s thru 2012. It has also been enjoyed by their family and many friends. Chuck officially retired in 1988 when he leased out his orchard but still enjoyed helping during harvest. He especially loved the Bartlett pear harvest and loaded trucks for the first fifteen years of his retirement during pear harvest “just for fun”. He spent the first three years of his retirement leading the building project of the present day Nazarene Church in Zillah where they have attended since arriving back in the Yakima Valley in 1967. He served on several boards of directors during his lifetime. Some of these included: The Union Gap Irrigation District, Yakima County Pest Board, and Zillah Nazarene Church. He was always willing to give a hand up----not so much a hand out. If you were interested in learning or needed some help, he was likely to lend a hand. He did that for many youth while serving as a 4-H leader for several years. He is survived by his wife Virginia of 59 years, two children: daughter Alice (Dave) Long of Hazelton, Idaho and son Ray (Paula) Wolverton of Zillah, Washinton; six grandchildren: Micah (Rebekah) Long of Shoshone, Idaho, Rebekah (Chris) Bender of Heber City, Utah, Lisa Wolverton of Portland, Oregon, Jenna Wolverton of Seattle, Washington, Jodi Wolverton of Boise, Idaho, and Ryan Williams of Zillah; and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister: Marian Keefer of Lewiston, Idaho, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister Sylvia (Walter) Bonneville of Yakima, Washington. In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate any charitable contributions to go to Cottage in the Meadow, 1208 S. 48th Ave. Yakima, WA 98908 in Chuck’s memory. A memorial service will be held at 11 AM, Saturday, October 5, 2013 at the Zillah Nazarene Church, 203 Miles Dr. in Zillah. Valley Hills Funeral Home in Zillah is in care of the arrangements. Online tributes can be left at www.valleyhillsfh.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Charles Wolverton, please visit our flower store.