Deyhle leaves big shoes for community to fill

By Roger Estlack, Editor

Clarendon lost one of its finest citizens last week.  Dr. Charles E. Deyhle, Sr., was a dedicated member of the community and a lifelong supporter of many worthy causes.

If there was ever someone who did not like Dr. Deyhle, I never met them. He was one of those rare people who was considered as a friend by everyone. And, as was mentioned at his funeral, he was known for encouraging people to always do their best.

I have known Dr. Deyhle all my life. I can’t remember what he called me prior to 1995; but since I acquired the newspaper, he always greeted me and called me “Friendly Editor.” He often praised our efforts at the paper, noting that while he didn’t always agree with every position I took, he agreed with most of them. And more than once he would recall these words of wisdom – “Don’t sit on the fence. You’ll get shot from both sides.”

And true enough we didn’t always see eye to eye on everything. A couple of years ago, I was discussing an issue of college business with him, and it was clear that the Friendly Editor and the Sage Board Member had different feelings on the matter. But we never raised our voices. He listened to and understood my point of view, I understood his, and we both laughed before our discussion ended.

He always had a way of bringing humor and wisdom to any situation. I was covering a Clarendon Board of Aldermen meeting in 2000 where our city leaders were trying to jack up the rent on hangers at the airport. Dr. Deyhle – along with the late Dr. Richard Gilkey and others – attended the meeting and successfully reminded the city about the importance of the airport. Dr. Deyhle said: “An airport is a necessary part of a viable community. A city without an airport is like a house without a toilet.”

A firm handshake, a kind word, a hand on your shoulder, and a bit of humor – those were the hallmarks of seeing Chuck Deyhle wherever you met him. You couldn’t help not only like the man but also respect him. He has left shoes that simply cannot be filled, but perhaps we can all try to learn something from his life. Our community and his memory would be well served if we all tried to be a little more like Chuck Deyhle.