| Obituary - Charles O. "Butch" Taft |
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Charles O. “Butch” Taft
May 31, 1945 – Jan. 4, 2010
LAKEVILLE, Ohio — Charles O. “Butch” Taft, 64, of rural Lakeville, died Monday, Jan. 4, 2010, in Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, from injuries received in a trucking accident in Tallahassee, Fla., on Monday.
Butch was born May 31, 1945, in Detroit, Mich., the son of Charles E. and Doris (Currin) Taft, and spent most of his childhood in Taft, Tenn. Following high school graduation, he attended Tennessee Technical College, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in agriculture. While at Tennessee Tech, he competed on the college rodeo team and was a bareback bronco riding champion. It was during this time he met his future wife, Hazel Wolgamott, and they were married Dec. 17, 1967. She survives.
After college, Butch continued to rodeo professionally as both a contestant and a judge, prior to becoming a rodeo stock contractor.
His company, Buckeye Rodeo, has received numerous awards from the Mid-States Rodeo Assoc. including Stock Contractor of the Year, Rodeo of the Year, Bareback Horse of the Year, Saddle Bronco Horse of the Year, and Bull of the Year. Butch and his wife, Hazel, were founding members of the Ohio High School Rodeo Assoc. and hosted the Association’s State Finals on their Nashville, Ohio, farm for many years.
He had been a resident of the Nashville and Lakeville area since 1980. He was a driver for Cowen Truck Line of Perrysville, since 1998 and had previously worked as a tour bus driver for Muskingum Coach Company of Coshocton. For many years he had taught high school vocational agriculture in Tennessee, Florida and Ohio at Loudonville High School. He was awarded an Honorary State FFA Degree by the Ohio FFA and earned the Honorary and Chapter FFA Degree from both Loudonville High School and West Holmes High School FFA Chapters. He had been a former volunteer firefighter and EMT for Nashville Volunteer Fire Department and was a member of the Church of Christ in Fayetteville, Tenn.
Surviving in addition to his wife, are a daughter, Jane (Craig) Houin and a son, Charles Edward “C.E.” Taft, both of rural Nashville; grandchildren, Aubree Ann, Garrett and Tristan Houin; his mother, Doris Taft of Taft, Tenn.; and a brother, Larry Taft of Nashville, Tenn.
He was preceded in death by his father, Charles E. Taft.
Services took place Saturday, Jan. 9 at 10:30 a.m. at Nashville United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Lori Burdette-Steele officiating. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.Byerly-Lindsey.com Memorial contributions may be made to Western Holmes County Joint Fire District, in care of the Nashville Fire Department, Galen Garver, Treasurer, P.O. Box 103, Nashville, OH 44661. |
| 1/13/2010 |
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