Obituary

Charles Norman Slack Jr., 70, a lifelong resident of Charleston, WV, passed away unexpectedly in his sleep early February 25, 2021.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Norman Slack and Doris Aldridge Slack.
Charlie was born September 16,1950. He could be found from an early age fishing on the Kanawha River, which was only a short walk from his home on the East End. He attended Charleston public school and graduated from Charleston High School in 1968. Charlie then attended West Virginia University and graduated with degrees in Business Administration and Economics. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi while at WVU. Upon graduation, Charlie moved to Raleigh, NC, to work at Carolina Power and Light, and met his wife, Virginia, while working there. They were married April 3, 1977.
After a year of marriage, Charlie and Virginia moved back to West Virginia to live on the “Slack Farm,” which has been in the family since the early 1800s. Charlie enjoyed nothing more than working on numerous yard projects and tending to his koi ponds. He was employed at One Valley Bank for over 20 years. In 2000, he decided to become his own boss and opened the Oreck Vacuum stores, with four stores around the state until 2015.
Charlie was a lifelong outdoorsman, and often felt most at home in the woods. He treasured spending time with family and friends, especially when he could share his outdoor enthusiasm. One of his greatest enjoyments was taking his grandkids fishing to “catch the big one.” He was always ready to tell a story, usually with some embellishment, which left lasting memories for anyone who met him. If the story was not appropriate, then he got even more amusement in telling it to a crowd.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Virginia; his four children, Christopher Slack (Mary) of Furlong, PA, Lindsay Fairman (Derek) of State College PA, Lisa Schessler (Matt) of Morgantown, Laura Slack (Chris Gunnoe) of Charleston, WV; and his sister, Nancy Bibb (Ed) of Beckley, WV. Charlie is also survived by eight grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, March 1, 2021, at Christ Church United Methodist, Charleston, WV, with Dr. Jay Parkins officiating. The service will be limited to the family relatives. You may view the service by live streaming on Christ Church United Methodist Church facebook page. Visitation will be held two hours hours prior at the church. Burial will follow in the Slack Family Cemetery, Elkview.
Due to the Governor’s guidelines, everyone must wear a mask and stay within social distancing.
Charlie will be buried in a cemetery on the family property, where multiple generations of Slacks, dating back to the civil war, have been buried. He always loved flowers and would often spend hours looking for the perfect flower for the yard. Charlie had a deep interest and care for animals from a young age. He loved birds and especially his pet crow, Jay. Due to this special love, contributions can be made to Three Rivers Avian Center, Brooks Mountain Road, Brooks, WV 25951. Other contributions of memory can be made to Christ Church United Methodist, 1221 Quarrier Street, Charleston, WV 25301, where Charles was a lifelong member.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com .
Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston, WV, has been entrusted with the arrangements.