COLUMBUS
Charles (“Charley”) N. Waldo, Columbus, passed away July 12, 2021. He is survived by Barbara, his beloved wife of 61 years; sons Jeffrey (Tara) and Michael (Carolyn); grandsons Charles M. and Andrew R. (Brittany); granddaughter Lilly M. ; and niece Kaaren Downey.
Charles was born in 1936 in East St. Louis, Illinois. While he played football and basketball, his first love was baseball and he was a three-year starting pitcher on his high school team as well as a the city’s state championship American Legion teams. He also pitched for several inter-city league teams during college summers. After high school he matriculated to Saint Louis University on a baseball scholarship where he earned a BS in Marketing in 1959 as well as earning four varsity letters in baseball.
Prior to graduation in 1959, Charley joined a local U.S. Army Reserve unit. IN January 1960 he began a ten-year stint in merchandising and marketing management with a large St. Louis-based supplier of goods and services to the health care industry. He enrolled in SLU’s night division and earned a MS in Marketing in 1968 and a Ph.D. in Business Administration in 1981, both done while working full-time.
Charley and Barbara were married in May 1960, beginning a wonderful married life enriched by the arrivals of sons Jeff, Mike and later their wives and children.
After several years of volunteering as a high school Sunday School teacher and Youth Fellowship director at their church, Charley felt a call to college teaching and came to Indiana in 1970 as Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Hanover College. In 1977 the Waldo family moved to Columbus, Indiana when he took a position as an executive recruiter with Fleming Associates where he earned several awards for client service and production. He and Barbara were active members of Asbury United Methodist Church.
In 1987 the call to college teaching came again and the family moved to Indianapolis where he joined Butler University as Associate Professor of Marketing. Anderson University called in 1992 and he joined its rapidly growing School of Business as Professor of Marketing. One of his primary assignments was to develop Anderson’s night MBA program in Greater Indianapolis aimed at working professionals. This he did, establishing five highly profitable learning sites enrolling about 250 adults each term. Due to health factors Charley had to retire from Anderson in 2011 at the age of 75.
Away from work Charley loved to travel with Barbara and family. He and Barbara took several trips to Europe and traveled all over the United States to visit family and friends. He loved to fish, especially with sons and grandsons. For over twelve years he served as a volunteer reading coach one day a week for struggling first and second graders at several Indianapolis grade schools. He was an enthusiastic blood donor until they made him stop.
He and Barbara were active members of Epworth UMC in Indianapolis where he was a co-founder and co-leader of the “Seekers” adult Sunday School class which is still running after 35+ years. He loved Christmas and at one time had a collection of over 200 Santas and “Gift Givers.”
He was a prolific writer, authoring over 200 articles, most for business audiences as well as two commissioned books on board of directors.
Charley chose to donate his body to IU School of Medicine Anatomical Education Program. At some time in the future his remains will be cremated and interned in a designated memorial area of Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. As a friend said upon learning he ad done this, “Charley was ever the teacher.”
Memorial gifts win his name may be sent to the Parkinson’s Awareness Association of Central Indiana, Inc (PAACI), Rock Steady Boxing Organization (Indianapolis) your local Salvation Army, or a charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Indianapolis.
