Charles H. Shorter

Charles Houston Shorter left his earthly body May 15, 2026, in Urbandale, Iowa.

Charlie was born November 21, 1954, in Fort Hood, Texas to Charles B. (Ret LTC) and Viola V. (Dunn) Shorter.

Growing up he was Chuckie to his family. He went by C.H. from grade school through high school. At some point, we started calling him Charlie. To his cousin Denny, he was Chuck. By any name, he was one of a kind. He loved to laugh and to make others laugh. He also like to push buttons to get a reaction, good or bad. He had a passion for hunting and fishing which was fostered by time he spent with his Uncle Jim Dunn and his cousins Jamie and Denny. He loved music and reading. He loved to drink, cook, and party. There was nothing shy about him. His preference when entering an elevator was to face everyone and perhaps start singing. He loved to be the smartest one in the room, even when he wasn’t. His relationships were complicated. He was a son, a brother, an uncle, a husband, and a father.

Being an Army brat, Charlie lived in Fort Hood, Texas, multiple army bases in Germany; Falls Church, Virginia; Park Forest, Illinois; Pleasanton, Kansas; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Leavenworth, Kansas; Manhattan, Kansas; Bloomington, Illinois; and many places in Missouri, Tennessee, and Iowa.

He married Joyce Holt on August 5, 1978, in Oneida, Illinois. They had two children Kimberly and Aaron. Charlie and Joyce later divorced.

Charlie graduated from Leavenworth High School in 1973. He played saxophone in the school band and played football. He attended Illinois Wesleyan University and Manhattan Christian College before earning his bachelor’s degree in allied health from Kansas University. He went on to earn an MBA from Saint Mary’s University in Leavenworth.

Charlie worked as an EMT and then a Paramedic in Leavenworth. He later owned and managed nursing homes, mostly in Missouri.

Charlie is predeceased by parents: Charles and Viola Shorter, his cousins: Angela Wayne Donaldson, Robert Lynn Brownback, and Dennis Wayne. Charlie had many beloved pets over the years. Among those he joins on the other side are Lady, Andy, JR, Rufus, and Tony.

Charlie is survived by sisters Marsha Rinetti (State College, Pennsylvania) and Vici (Larry) Bice (Altoona, Iowa), daughter Kim (Daniel) Skinner of Jamesport, Missouri, and son Aaron (Katie) Shorter of Little Rock, Arkansas. He is also survived by the staff and residents of Senior Suites of Urbandale. They became family for him and for Vici and Larry. The care and love he received from those people was a true answer to prayer and a tremendous source of comfort.

The heartbreak is because of the love. We will take the heartbreak.

Services will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at the Hamilton’s Altoona location – 105 4th Street SW, Altoona. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. followed by a memorial service at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial to Senior Suites of Urbandale, 4700 84th St, Urbandale, IA 50322.

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