Charles E. Millender was born December 21, 1932 in Madill, Oklahoma, to John Renfro and Pauline May Roberts Millender. Charles passed from this life Friday, June 24, 2005, in Waurika at the age of seventy-two. Charles received his B.M. degree from North Texas State and his Masters from Southwestern Oklahoma State, both in Music Education. He and Jane Ann Calhoun were married April 8, 1951, in Sherman, Texas. Charles was a high school band director for over twenty-eight years. He was a music educator for Farmersville (TX), Rotan (TX), Stinnett (TX), Kingfisher (OK), Lawton MacArthur (OK), Waurika (OK) and Decatur (TX) High Schools. He also worked for Frontier Music in Lawton and owned Millender Band Supply. He served his country in the 151st Air Force Band in St. John’s, Newfoundland during the Korean War. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Waurika; Oklahoma Bandmasters Association, where he was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988; Texas Bandmasters Association; Oklahoma Retired Teachers Association; and the Texas Retired Teachers Association. He also was a member of Phi Beta Mu Honorary Band Director Fraternity and Phi Mu Alpha College Band Fraternity. He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He also enjoyed spending time with “the boys” Taco and Tex, his chihuahuas. He loved taking care of trees especially his prized pecan and apricot trees. He loved watching birds and caring for the horntoads the children would bring him and he would generously pay a dollar for. He enjoyed everything about the band business but especially enjoyed working with young band directors and band kids.

Survivors include: his wife Jane, of the home in Waurika, OK; Charles is survived by his wife Jane of the home in Waurika, Oklahoma; three daughters - Liz and her husband Ross Grant of Ft Worth, TX, Marsha and her husband Dick Adams of Lawton, OK, and Debbie and Jay Widdig of Allen, TX; and his grandchildren - Gary and Gina Grant, Brent and Abby Bowles, Katie and Jon Widdig, Becky Hopkins, and Jeremy Fields.

Funeral services for Mr. Millender were at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at the First United Methodist Church in Waurika with James E. Thornton and Reed Montgomery officiating. Burial was in the West Hill Cemetery in Sherman, Texas at 2:00 PM, under the direction of Dudley Funeral Home of Waurika. Pallbearers were Ross Grant, Dick Adams, Jay Widdig, Gary Grant, Brent Bowles, and Jon Widdig.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the First United Methodist Church in Waurika or to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.