DODGE CITY - Rev. Charles E. Williams, 83, died Sunday, September 12, 2010 at Western Plains Medical Complex at Dodge City, KS. He was born on February 3, 1927 in the Concord Township Farming Community at the farm home of Charlie Foulks in Ford County, the son of Carl Fredrick and Martha Ann (Zimmerman) Williams. Charles has been a resident of Dodge City since 1935 since moving here from the Concord Township. He attended and graduated from the schools in Dodge City and graduated from DCCC.

Charles, a World War II Army Veteran, served his country from April 1945 thru December 1946. He was stationed in Japan and the Philippines.

He married Virginia Lowry of Lewis Addition, Dodge City, at the First Missionary Church on March 28, 1948.

Charles and Virginia enrolled in Fort Wayne Bible Institute in the fall of 1948. Charles graduated with a BA and a THB degree in 1954. Upon returning to Dodge City, he started prayer meetings and Bible studies in his home from which the church was birthed, Victory Life Fellowship (Formerly Faith Assembly) in 1957 and pastored the church until May 2000. Although he was an ordained minister, he preferred to be known as Pastor Charles or Brother Charles rather than Reverand.

He founded Faith Tabernacle in Greensburg. He helped his wife start the Dodge City Chapter of Women's Aglow and he also started the Full Gospel Business Men's Chapter of Dodge City. In 1980, he and his wife, with the help of son, Terry, opened the first Christian school, Dodge City Christian Center, later known as Victory Life Academy. The school closed in 1994.

Charles is well known in the Dodge City area. He worked as the head maintenance man at DCCC for eight years. He worked as a resident engineer for Evans & Bierly of Great Bend for a number of years.

Charles and his wife Virginia have two children, Terry Williams of Tulsa, Oklahoma and a daughter, Miracle Joy Litchfield of Yucaipa, California; three grandsons, Jeremy Williams and wife Monica of Little Elm, Texas and Chase and Shane Litchfield of Yucaipa, California; three great grandchildren, Gunnar Jaden Litchfield of Yucaipa, California and Tyler and Kayla Williams of Little Elm, Texas.

Funeral service will be held at Swaim Funeral Home on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 10:00 AM with Rev.Carl Nance and Rev. Willard Olinger presiding. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in Dodge City with military graveside rites by Howard Gotschall Post # 1714, V.F.W. of Dodge City. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 from Noon to 8:00 PM. Memorials can be made to Victory Life Fellowship, P.O. Box 13, Dodge City, Kansas 67801. Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.