Charles Joseph Whitmire

Charles J. Whitmire, of Waco, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his daughters and loved ones, on January 30th, 2026.

Chuck was born on St. Joseph’s Day March 19, 1956, the only son to Charles H. Whitmire and Eleanor Roppolo Whitmire of Houston. Chuck graduated from Cypress Fairbanks High School in 1974, and he enjoyed summers in Waco on the family farm on Orchard Lane with his beloved grandparents A.J. and Genevieve Roppolo. He went on to study Architectural Drafting at Texas State Technical College and was an electrician like his father before him.

Chuck began his career designing substations for Brazos Electric and then worked as an architectural draftsman at Baylor’s campus maintenance department in the 80s. He proudly owned and operated Whitmire Construction & Maintenance for over 25 years, doing home remodeling and making friends all over Waco. Chuck mostly hung up his hard hat, working all over Central Texas for Lutheran Social Services and Life Alert. He also worked with LaVega Primary as a primary school teacher’s aide and most recently as a bus driver for Connally ISD.

Chuck was an avid fisherman and dove and duck hunter, he was a cattle farmer, and he loved collecting coins and stamps, ducks, fishing lures and reels, marbles and all sorts of curiosities. Episodes of The Rifleman or Bonanza, and later Blue Bloods, were often on his tv, but also Designing Women and Antiques Roadshow, and he often teared up watching Hallmark movies. He was an absolutely world class whistler and classic rock was the soundtrack of his entire life. Chuck was a lifelong Catholic, but also spent many years at First Lutheran Church, even volunteering as the Sunday School bus driver.

Chuck’s greatest accomplishment was raising his two daughters, Sarah & Mary Beth, as a single, full-time dad in the 90s. Not many dads can say they were PTA President or knew all the pieces of a cheerleading outfit, but he broke the mold. Affectionately known as PapaChuck, becoming a grandfather many times over was a great joy in his life.

He is survived by his two daughters, Mary Beth Kelly and her husband Justin Kelly, and their children Ember, June and Corbin Charles and Sarah Drake and her husband Caleb Drake, and their children Drew, Blair and Jamison. He is also survived by his sister Mary (Kiki) Whitmire Gravley and her husband Bert Gravley and their daughter Gennie Price and her husband Jason, his niece Christine Legg and her husband Eddy, and by his nephew Shawn Whitmire and his wife Carrie, and great nieces and nephews. Chuck spent over ten years with his love and partner Linda Barnett and is also survived by her and her family.

Chuck was predeceased by his parents and grandparents, his sisters Catherine & Rosemary Whitmire and his great niece Morgan Legg.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations of any kind be made to Carter BloodCare in honor of Chuck’s dedication to blood and plasma donations over many decades as one McLennan County’s largest volume donors.