Charles Ward Riffe

Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life Memorial Service to be held at the Kemp United Methodist Church, 228 N. Main Street in Tipton, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2015.  Calling at the church will be during the hour preceding the service.   Interment will be in Tipton’s Fairview Cemetery.Charles Ward RiffeCharles Ward Riffe, 88, died on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at Sun City Center, FL.  He was born August 27, 1926, the son of William H (Bud) Riffe and Lora Merle Lawson, of Windfall, each of whom preceded him in death.  He was also preceded in death by a grandson, Robert Brett Paustian.  He is survived by his widow, Zola Hull Riffe, a son, Daniel Lawson Riffe of Hollywood, CA, a daughter Janet Kathryn Paustian and her husband Dr. Richard Paustian of Helena, MT and two grandsons, Ryan Ward and Sean Coulter of Bozeman and Missoula, MT.  He is also survived by a half sister, Rebecca Aspiazu, and sister-in-law Linda Riffe and several nieces and nephews.Mr. Riffe was a graduate of Tipton High School and Purdue University School of Aeronautics and co-owner with his wife and son of F. Ray Hull & Son, Inc. a farm equipment dealership in Tipton and Alexandria, IN.  He served in the Army Air Corps during WWII and was very active in his community, serving on the Tipton Community School Board for twelve years, the Citizens National Bank Board of Directors, Tipton County Council, Tipton School Building Corporation, Tipton County Economic Development Corporation, Member and Trustee of Kemp United Methodist Church, and a 50 year Scottish Rite Mason.Ward’s major interest aside from family and business was in Aviation beginning in early childhood.  His passion for flight and aeronautical engineering was so keen that he obtained his pilot’s license at age 16 before he obtained his license to drive a car and later earned an FAA Aircraft Mechanic license. He was also a model designer and builder in his senior years.  He graduated from Purdue School of Aeronautics with a B.S. in Air Transportation Engineering (1950) and remained a devoted student of the art, science, technology and history of Aviation and those who made it.  He was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Academy of Model Aeronautics.  One of his favorite activities was restoration of aircraft at home in this garage, which always provided a place for yet another fuselage to reside.  One of his restored airplanes was the yellow 1948 Aeronca Champion, used for many years to give rides to Pioneer Corn Company young detasselers at the end of the detasseling season.  The plane was then owned by the late Gene Doversberger.  In youth and later years he was an active Radio Control Model Airplane designer and builder.  He was also a ham radio operator, chatting with people around the world decades before the internet was born.Ward retired from business in 1981 and moved with his wife, Zola, to Sun City Center, FL where he continued with Aviation and Model Aircraft interests, learned to play golf, and lived in marital bliss with his wife, Zola, his bride of 66 years to whom he never lost his complete devotion and enduring love.  And he demonstrated that to her every single day.  He always said there was never a day that he couldn’t wait to go home to her.  He always wanted to go home.  We all live on this earth temporarily, but Ward always found a way to “Fly the Biggest Piece Back”, to quote the title of one of his favorite books.Memorial contributions may be sent to Tipton County Foundation, P.O. Box 412, Tipton, IN  46072.  Tipton County Public Library, 127 East Madison Street, Tipton, IN  46072 or a charity of their choice.