Charles Wayne Pence

Charles W. Pence, 82, of Casselberry, Florida, died August 5, 2025, at the Advent Health Hospice Center in Altamonte Springs.

Charlie was born in Olive Hill, KY, the only child of Gene and Aythel Pence who preceded him in death.

The family moved to Fern Park, Fl when he was nine years old, and they remained life-long residents…only returning to KY for a short period after his graduation from Winter Park High School to attend Morehead State University. Charlie considered himself extremely fortunate to have maintained many friendships from his days at Winter Park…especially, his “car guys”.

He was the owner/operator of CW Pence Rebuilders in Maitland, FL until his retirement in 2008. At that time, he entrusted the operation and eventual ownership of the business to Jeffrey Pagan. In describing his relationship with Jeffrey, he would often say, “I think the world of Jeff”.

Charlie is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, Jackie Slone Pence. Friends and relatives marveled with each anniversary as they were married only four months after being introduced by mutual friends. Both Charlie and Jackie compared those fifty-two years to their favorite song, “A Summer Place”…where it may rain or storm, yet I’m safe and warm, where two people share all their hopes, all their dreams, all their love”.

Charlie, or as they have all come to call him, Papa, is, also, survived by two daughters, Rebecca Campbell (Michael) and Wynne Pence, both of Floyd County, KY

Four grandchildren, Andrew Grindrod of Richmond, KY

Kaitlyn (Nathan) Wright of Knoxville, TN

Sarah (Cody) Sabol of Pittsburg, PA

Joshua (Kayla) Grindrod of Prestonsburg, KY

Five Great Grandchildren

Brooks, Millie, & Archer Sabol

Carter & Finley Grindrod

Following a tradition established by his mother, Papa would describe each new grand and great-grand as “the prettiest one yet”.

It was at Winter Park High School that Charlie acquired his life-long love for all things orange and blue. Fortunately for him, Jackie eventually grew to love the Gators as well. For over twenty years, Charlie was a member and volunteer for the Central Florida Gator Club. Whether it was Outreach, Scholarship, Gator Gathering or fundraising, he looked forward to each and every one and described himself as a “worker-bee” making frequent trips before and after each event to the infamous storage unit, helping with set up and clean up. More importantly to Charlie, however, were the people he met and the friendships made. When someone ask if he was getting too old to be doing “this stuff”, he replied, “I love every minute of it. I just want to help and be a part of it”. Forty-Five years as football season ticket holders for Gator football, then basketball, volleyball and gymnastics to follow, tailgating with friends, road trips to all the SEC schools, SEC tournaments as the “rent-a-date” for the Sanford Gator Girls, championship games for football, Final Four appearances for basketball, and swaying to “We are the boys” were proof positive that Charlie truly did bleed orange and blue.

The words used most often to describe Charlie by family and friends alike included the following…always a gentleman, soft-spoken, kind, positive, unselfish, and an unforgettable smile.

Whether it was following a Gator loss or a personal loss or disappointment, Charlie was fond of saying, “well, at least the sun is still orange and the sky is still blue”.

We thank you Sweetie, Daddy, Papa, for everything you were and all that you gave.

May you now forever rest in peace with the certain knowledge that you were, are, and will always be dearly loved and terribly missed.

Please check back on this website for information regarding Charlie’s

Celebration of Life.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite charity.

Your presence I miss, your memory I treasure, loving you always, forgetting you never. Everyday in some small way, memories of you come our way. Though absent, you are always near, still missed, still loved, still dear.

To the living, I am gone

To the sorrowful, I will never return

To the angry, I was cheated

But to the happy, I am at peace

And to the faithful, I have never left

I cannot speak, but I can be heard

So, as you stand upon a shore, gazing at a beautiful sea,

As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity,

Remember me.

Remember me in your heart

Your thoughts and your memories

Of the times we loved

The times we cried

The times we fought

The times we laughed

For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.

* PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR DATE AND TIME OF CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE*