Rev. Charles Keyes

Memorial

Rev. Charles C. Keyes, 95 of Cedar Rapids, Iowa went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, November 26, 2020. A private service will be held on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memoires.  Burial will follow at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. A live stream for this service can be viewed at: https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/90996235 at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, December 2, 2020.

As mandated by proclamation, social distancing must be practiced. The use of facemasks or shields is required.

Charles was born on April 30, 1925 in Cedar Rapids to Charles Clapp Keyes and Laurana Lucille Colson. He married Lillian Caperonis on December 25, 1946 and she preceded him in death in 2015. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Gordon and Clem and his sister Lucille Kenney.   

Charles enlisted in the United States Navy in March of 1943 and served three years on the destroyer the USS Satterlee (DD-626). His ship was present during the Allied invasion of Normandy and was involved in the Pacific War. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He then attended Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois and graduated with a degree in Theology. After graduation, Charles was ordained as a minister in the Church of the Nazarene and pastored several churches in Iowa from 1950 until 1968. He moved to Cedar Rapids in 1968 and worked at Weyerhaeuser Corporation until his retirement in 1992. 

Charles’ passion in life was serving Christ and loving his church family. He felt called by God to be a minister of the Gospel and spent his life demonstrating Christ’s love through his kind and loving spirit. During his years of retirement, he loved to spend time at the church and help wherever possible whether it be filling in for the Pastor by preaching on a Sunday morning or taking care of the church grounds. He enjoyed teaching a discipleship class on Sunday mornings and held that position until his last days. He loved visiting people and spent many days with the sick, visiting the home bound or just having coffee with a friend. He just loved people and he was never able to leave their home without offering a word of encouragement and a prayer, a blessing we will all miss in the coming days.  

Charles was a true man of God and it is fitting he left this earth on Thanksgiving Day to join his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ where he can thank Him for all of eternity. It was a moment Charles anticipated his entire life. 

We will remember how Charles impacted all our lives in his own powerfully positive way and how that impact has helped us to see Christ clearer and strive to be better people. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donation may be made to the First Church of the Nazarene in Cedar Rapids.