Charles Brick

Charles Russell Brick Jr., age 80, of Blue Ridge, passed away Friday, April 23, 2021, after an extended illness. 

He was born June 26, 1940, in Lock 17, Clay Township, Ohio, to the late Charles Russell Brick Sr., and Ludean Gray Brick. When he was a teenager, he moved with his family to New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He eventually settled in Holly Hill, Florida, with his wife and lived there for many years. 

Butch, as he was commonly called, worked for Florida Power and Light Company for 33 years, after which he retired. After retiring, he started his own trucking company because he didn’t feel he was ready to stop working. He eventually moved to Blue Ridge in 1995 to settle for retirement. 

He loved working, so he went to work for Wild Water Rafting driving a bus to transport the rafters to and from the Ocoee River. He loved interacting with the rafters, and he continued to work there until he was unable to work any longer.

He was a minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses all his adult life. He centered his life and his family’s life around Bible principles because this was the most important aspect of his life. He was a good husband and father to his family, always putting his family’s needs ahead of his own. He was an avid reader of all types of books. He loved reading the Bible, aviation magazines, books about history, books about wars, science and nature. 

He loved college football, and the Florida Gators was his favorite team. He also had a passion for flying. In his early years, he and a friend owned their own two-seater airplane and would often fly together. He will be missed by family and friends alike. He was preceded in death by his son, Charles Russell Brick III. 

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Gale Sanholtz Brick of Blue Ridge; son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Gina Brick of Mars Hill, North Carolina; daughter and son-in-law, Candy and Brian Dittman of McCaysville; son, Scott Brick of Blue Ridge; sister, Gypsy Lee Brick Peterson of Seattle, Washington; granddaughters, Christina Brick of Daytona Beach, Florida, and Melissa Brick Tevels of Orlando, Florida; granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Jenna and Matt Houston of Asheville, North Carolina; and grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Wesley and Jasmin Dittman, Cleveland, Tennessee.

A virtual memorial service of his life will be held Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 3 p.m.

To send condolences to the family and sign the guest register visit www.cochranfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Henry-Cochran Funeral Home of Blue Ridge.