Charles W. Rarick

Charles Winfield Rarick, age 92, of Arriba, Colorado was born on April 13, 1926 to Ed M. Rarick and Ida (Eberle) Rarick northwest of Arriba.  He was the last of six children.  Charles attended school in Bovina, Colorado through the ninth grade and graduated from Arriba High School in 1944.

Charles helped out on the farm for a year and served in the Army from April 1945 to November 1946.  During World War II he was stationed in Shinagawa, Japan as a Quartermaster Sargent.  After being discharged, Charles came home to farm.  Fall of 1948 he started working for the Colorado Department of Transportation, while still farming.

Charles married Shirley Rae Arbuthnot on June 8, 1952 in Arriba.  He quit CDOT in the spring of 1955 to farm full time.  In the fall of 1956 Charles decided to go back to work for CDOT as an extra employee.  He was later promoted to Senior Foreman right before I-70 went through the area.  Charles retired from CDOT in 1982 after 30 years of service.

August of 1956, Charles and Shirley welcomed Sherri.  In the spring of 1957 Charles and his small family moved into town and in November of 1958 Christy joined the family and they moved one more time to the house where they would spend the rest of their lives.

Charles was baptized and joined the First Congregational Church in March 1961.  He helped build the new church in the fall of 1961.  In March of 1964, Ed was welcomed to the family. 

Charles served on the Arriba Town Council for many years and held the position of mayor for two terms.  He was mayor when the town installed the new sewer system.  Charles also served on the Arriba Cemetery Board.  While on the cemetery board he helped move in more trees and get the directory building built.  After retiring from CDOT, Charles continued to farm.  He and Shirley spent many winters in Pahrump, Nevada and they traveled extensively throughout the world.  In 2004, Charles lost the love of his life when Shirley passed away.

Charles passed away peacefully in Lincoln Community Hospital Care Center on December 28, 2018.  He will be laid to rest in the Arriba Cemetery.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, brothers John and Newell, sisters Mary Rarick, Ellen Carlson, and Lois Bean, nephews Guy Richard Carlson and Terry Rarick, and his beloved wife, Shirley.

He is survived by his daughters Sherri (Jim) Smithburg and Christy (Lyle) Smithburg, son Ed (Jodi) Rarick, grandchildren Aubrey (Ryan) Jones, Jon (Sarah) Smithburg, Nick (Ashlee) Smithburg, Steph (Steve) Scherr, Charles Cassidy Rarick (Kya Muraira) and Cody Rarick.  Great-grandchildren Noah, Micah, Selah, and Nehemiah Scherr; Ava Jones; Michayla and Jordan Smithburg; Faxon and Sutton Smithburg.  Sister-in-law Eleanor Arbuthnot and numerous nieces and nephews. 

A funeral service will be held January 5, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Arriba, Colorado followed by interment at the Arriba Cemetery.  Memorial contributions can be sent to Lincoln Community Hospice, 111 6th Street, PO Box 248, Hugo, CO  80821, First Congregational Church, PO Box 368, Arriba, CO  80804, or Community Ambulance Service, PO Box 101, Flagler, CO  80815