Obituaries
Charles Frank Mize
( December 7, 1934 - March 20, 2020 )
Charles Frank Mize, age 85 of Lincolnton, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2020, at the Addison of Lincolnton.
A private graveside service will be held on Monday, March 23, 2020, at Asbury United Methodist Church cemetery with Rev. Laurie Knoespel officiating.
Frank was born in Nacogdoches, Texas, on December 7, 1934, to Charles Leon Mize and Olice Griffin Mize. He grew up in Houston, Texas, and was a 1957 graduate of the University of Houston, where he majored in political science and lettered in debate.
After graduation, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1957, serving as an enlisted man for several years before enrolling in Officers Candidate School. He worked in the office of Special Investigations in Washington, DC, and left the Air Force after attaining the rank of Captain.
Frank then worked for the District of Columbia Department of Public Welfare as an investigator before joining the Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs. He worked as a social worker on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation in North Dakota and as a Social Services Supervisor on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico and Arizona. After retiring from the U.S. Department of the Interior, he worked for the Navajo Tribal Government as a Social Services Supervisor.
Frank is survived by his wife of more than 55 years, Elizabeth “Libby” Shuford Mize, whom he married on August 8, 1964. They had met in Sunday School at South Capitol Street Methodist Church in Washington, DC. Their first date was after church in November 1963 when they went to the U.S. Capital to see John F. Kennedy’s casket brought in to lie in state before his funeral. They camped and traveled extensively throughout the United States, visiting 48 of the 50 states.
In 1983, they moved to his wife’s hometown of Lincolnton, NC. Frank was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir, served as church photographer, and helped start the audio-visual program. He was president of the Computer Users Group of Lincolnton for over 25 years. He was very active in North Carolina Senior Games Silver Arts, having competed in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Cleveland County, Gaston County, and Lincoln County. He won many awards in creative writing and photography.
Libby and Frank had no children, but proudly claim Rev. Earlynne Bartley of Lincolnton as their “adopted daughter” and her son, Chandler Bartley of Gastonia, as their “adopted grandson.” The family includes two dogs named Jo Joe and Talia, and a cat named Clawdia.
Frank is survived by his brother-in-law, Charles David Shuford and wife Gloria of North Palm Beach, FL; and a sister-in-law, Carole Shuford Jenkins and husband Roger of Lincolnton. He leaves six nieces and nephews: Rhonda Jenkins Davis (husband William Jr. and sons Trey and Trent), Dale Jenkins (wife Jennifer and children Savannah and Dylan); and Bobby Jenkins, all of Lincolnton; Cindy Jenkins Lindsay (husband Brian and son Bailey), of Casa Grande, AZ; Robin Shuford Frank (husband Ted and daughter Leila) of Naples, FL; and Joseph Shuford of North Palm Beach, FL. He also leaves one fellow Texan cousin, Joe Griffin, and wife Betty of Catawba County.
In lieu of flowers and condolences, please make a donation in memory of Frank to Asbury United Methodist Church, 3097 Asbury Church Road, Lincolnton, NC 28092.
A private graveside service will be held on Monday, March 23, 2020, at Asbury United Methodist Church cemetery with Rev. Laurie Knoespel officiating.
Frank was born in Nacogdoches, Texas, on December 7, 1934, to Charles Leon Mize and Olice Griffin Mize. He grew up in Houston, Texas, and was a 1957 graduate of the University of Houston, where he majored in political science and lettered in debate.
After graduation, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1957, serving as an enlisted man for several years before enrolling in Officers Candidate School. He worked in the office of Special Investigations in Washington, DC, and left the Air Force after attaining the rank of Captain.
Frank then worked for the District of Columbia Department of Public Welfare as an investigator before joining the Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs. He worked as a social worker on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation in North Dakota and as a Social Services Supervisor on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico and Arizona. After retiring from the U.S. Department of the Interior, he worked for the Navajo Tribal Government as a Social Services Supervisor.
Frank is survived by his wife of more than 55 years, Elizabeth “Libby” Shuford Mize, whom he married on August 8, 1964. They had met in Sunday School at South Capitol Street Methodist Church in Washington, DC. Their first date was after church in November 1963 when they went to the U.S. Capital to see John F. Kennedy’s casket brought in to lie in state before his funeral. They camped and traveled extensively throughout the United States, visiting 48 of the 50 states.
In 1983, they moved to his wife’s hometown of Lincolnton, NC. Frank was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir, served as church photographer, and helped start the audio-visual program. He was president of the Computer Users Group of Lincolnton for over 25 years. He was very active in North Carolina Senior Games Silver Arts, having competed in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Cleveland County, Gaston County, and Lincoln County. He won many awards in creative writing and photography.
Libby and Frank had no children, but proudly claim Rev. Earlynne Bartley of Lincolnton as their “adopted daughter” and her son, Chandler Bartley of Gastonia, as their “adopted grandson.” The family includes two dogs named Jo Joe and Talia, and a cat named Clawdia.
Frank is survived by his brother-in-law, Charles David Shuford and wife Gloria of North Palm Beach, FL; and a sister-in-law, Carole Shuford Jenkins and husband Roger of Lincolnton. He leaves six nieces and nephews: Rhonda Jenkins Davis (husband William Jr. and sons Trey and Trent), Dale Jenkins (wife Jennifer and children Savannah and Dylan); and Bobby Jenkins, all of Lincolnton; Cindy Jenkins Lindsay (husband Brian and son Bailey), of Casa Grande, AZ; Robin Shuford Frank (husband Ted and daughter Leila) of Naples, FL; and Joseph Shuford of North Palm Beach, FL. He also leaves one fellow Texan cousin, Joe Griffin, and wife Betty of Catawba County.
In lieu of flowers and condolences, please make a donation in memory of Frank to Asbury United Methodist Church, 3097 Asbury Church Road, Lincolnton, NC 28092.
Posted on 20 Mar 2020
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125 Dave Warlick Drive
Lincolnton, NC 28092
704/735-2521