Obituary of Charles Felder

Charles Felder, age 59, died Monday, January 30, 2012 at his home in St. Paul. A Funeral Service will be held at 1 PM on Monday, February 6 at the Spielman Mortuary with the Reverend Carl Walker, officiating. There will be no visitation. Private Interment Charles "Dankey" Felder was born to Janette "Loisey" and James "Pee-Wee" Felder on May 10, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of eight children. Dankey accepted Christ at an early age. He attended DuSable High School where he excelled in all subjects especially his two favorites: math and history. Dankey was an avid sports fan; he loved all sports, his favorite being basketball. Dankey did not let his short stature stop him from being an exceptional basketball player. He was one of the best players in all of the Robert Taylor homes where he grew up and played ball with Maurice Cheeks. In that housing development at the tender age of fourteen, he met the love of his life and future wife, Cynthia "Cindy" Lee. In 1972, their first child was born and in 1974, they married and would remain so for the next 20 years of thier lives, during which time they bought a home and had three more children. They later divorced but remained very close friends. In 1977, Dankey began employment with the prestigious Standard Club of Chicago, Illinois where he was loved and adored by members and co-workers alike. There he worked for the next 20 years of his life until illness forced him into early retirement. Throughout his life, he continued to work odd jobs and care for his mother until her death in 2006. In 2006, a chance encounter would provoke him to move to Arizona, a place he immediately fell in love with and enjoyed calling home. In 2009, Dankey moved to Minnesota to be close to his children. There, he would remain for the next three years until his sudden, untimely death. Retired and living in Minnesota, Dankey began to develop new hobbies and spend more time with his old favorites such as watching old westerns and World War II movies and documentaries. He leaves to cherish his memory: children, Marcus, Stephanie,, Kellie, Kevin, and their mother, Cindy; brothers, Michael and Robin; grandchildren, Markus, Marquee', Makalah, Jerome, Markayle, and Makiyah; great-grandchild, Kristen; and a host of family, friends, and acquaintances. Dankey will be forever loved and missed.