Charles Lawwill Felner

Charles Lawwill Felner, a decorated World War II veteran, passed away on Monday, February 8, 2016, at his residence in Stone Mountain, Georgia, surrounded by his family and his caregivers. Mr. Felner was 90 years old.

A Memorial Service celebrating Mr. Felner's life will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2016, at 4:00 pm at his church, The Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. Internment, with military honors, will follow in the memorial garden behind his church, where his wife of 51 years, Frances Girardeau Felner, is buried.

Mr. Felner was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on June 2, 1925, to Solomon Felner and Nellie Alice Lawwill Felner. He attended Millersburg Military Institute in Millersburg, Kentucky, where he graduated as class valedictorian. Following his distinguished service to his country during WWII, Mr. Felner graduated from Georgia Tech, with a degree in chemical engineering. He was hired by The Buckeye Cellulose Corporation, a division of The Procter and Gamble Company, and proudly worked for this company for 41 years, retiring in 1990, as a Customer Technical Service Representative in Research and Development. Through Charles' work with Buckeye, he and Frances formed rich and enduring relationships with friends they met in Cincinnati, Ohio, Perry, Florida, Memphis, Tennessee, and Geneva, Switzerland.

Mr. Felner is survived by his children: daughter, Patrice Felner Phelps and her husband, Paul Galey Phelps, of Atlanta, Georgia; son, James Girardeau Felner and his wife, Sheryl Lamoreau Felner of Clinton, Ohio; son, Paul Scott Felner and his former wife, Georgia Blythe Felner, of Franklin, Tennessee; grandsons, Christopher David Phelps and Elliott Scott Felner; granddaughters, Charlotte Lillian Felner, Allison Blythe Felner, Molly Lamoreau Felner, and Caroline Lamoreau Felner; niece, Ellen Felner Buoyer (Duncan) of Richmond, Virginia; nephew, Steven Richard Felner of Seattle, Washington; sisters-in-law, Catherine Girardeau Brown of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and Beth Felner Duderstadt of Stone Mountain, Georgia; six great nieces and one great nephew; and numerous devoted caregivers including Jawana Gauthier Walker, Angela Sapp, Mattie Shepherd, Pat Jacobs, and Rosetta Drisdom. Mr. Felner was pre-deceased by his wife, Frances Girardeau Felner, his brother, Richard Boone Felner, and his granddaughter, Emily Wight Felner.

Charles will always be remembered as the epitome of a true gentleman. He was a life-long scholar and a courageous, generous, and compassionate man. He revered his family, his friends, his cats, his church, Georgia Tech football, and Kentucky Wildcats basketball. He and his wife, Frances, shared a passion for education, music, travel, gardening, reading, volunteering for their church and community, and entertaining family and friends. They planned regular family reunions, so that they could stay in close contact with their children and grandchildren.

Being a member of "the greatest generation", Charles was drafted to serve his country at the age of 18, during WWII. Attaining the rank of sergeant, he served in the combat engineering battalion, and was stationed in France, Belgium, and Germany. Toward the end of the war, Charles and his engineering battalion built a bridge, under fire and at night, over the Rohr River, which allowed the Allied forces to cross into Germany. In recognition of his bravery, Charles and his comrades were awarded the Bronze Star for Valor.

Mr. Felner's family would like to thank all of the family, friends, and caregivers who supported Charles during his lengthy battle with dementia, especially the extraordinary caregivers associated with Personal Care Incorporated in Decatur, Georgia, those affiliated with Cobblestone at Park Springs in Stone Mountain, Georgia, and those affiliated with Crossroads Hospice; Charles' life was greatly enriched by their loyalty, advocacy, and care.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations made in Charles Lawwill Felner's name to: The Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization that honors senior veterans by helping transport them to Washington, D.C. to visit THEIR memorials (https://www.honorflight.org/donate-now), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee (https://www.stjude.org/), or to The Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee (http://www.gslookout.com).

Arrangements for Mr. Felner are being handled by A.S. Turner and Sons on North Decatur Road in Decatur, Georgia (http://www.asturner.com).



Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033