Charles Edwin Fravel

Charles Edwin Fravel, 97, passed away peacefully into the arms of his Father, Lord and Savior on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, in the Gundersen Care Center in Harmony, Minn.  Charles was born on January 29, 1926, in rural Cresco, Iowa, to Glenn and Dora (Pilgrim) Fravel, the eldest of five children. 

After he graduated from Cresco High School, he was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve post-WWII in Paris, Rome and Europe.  He married Helen Irene Leistikow on March 2, 1947. They settled in rural Cresco for a short time, farming until they relocated to the rural Lenora, Minn., area where he milked cows and raised crops.  In 1965 a tornado took their building site, which led them to settle in the Greenleafton area following. 

He was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Cresco, Iowa, for most of his life.  He enjoyed camping with friends and grandkids, traveling with Helen, gardening and always had a variety of animals around including chickens, goats and sheep. He loved combining and helped with the harvest well into his 90s. He was very social and was often found attending Cowboy Church in Cherry Grove, Minn., eating his pancake and chunk of ham at Sarah’s, and seemed to always find someone to play cards with wherever he went. 

Charles is survived by his three daughters: Nancy (Paul) Svelmoe of Las Vegas, Nev., Irene (Larry) Mathison of Preston, Minn., Judy (Darrol) King of Preston, Minn., and a son, Harold (Julianna) Fravel of Cochrane, Wis.; seven grandchildren: Jason (Lindsay) Fravel, Karen (Keith) Miller, Loren (Carrie) Mathison, Amber Fravel, Aaren (Dena) Mathison, Owen (Zoe) Svelmoe, and Brianna (Andrew) Boettcher; and 15 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife Helen, his parents, his brothers Bob, Ellis, and Paul Fravel and sister Lucy Curtis and spouses, and special friend Shirley Jertson. 

A funeral service for Charles will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 30, 2023, at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco, Iowa, with visitation prior to the service, from 12:30-2 p.m.