Charles David Thill, age 86, of Puryear, TN, died peacefully with visiting family members on Wednesday, December 7, 2016, at Henry County Healthcare Center in Paris, TN. Charles was born August 19, 1930, in Dayton, OH, the fourth of eight children born to Paul and Dorotha (Gadd) Thill. Charles graduated from Chaminade High School in Dayton, OH, enlisted in the US Navy in 1949 (discharged 1951), and married Velma Ruth Sikora on September 27, 1952. During their 56 years of marriage, Charles and Ruth raised three daughters and a son and built two homes: the family home in Waynesville, OH and another in Puryear, TN, where Charles and Ruth spent their retirement years. Charles was an entrepreneur who owned and operated, along with wife Ruth, a number of businesses over the years: The Valley Shopper, a Warren County, OH publication; Suburban Sanitary Service (SSS) in south-central OH; Crispy Crown Corporation, a TV repair service, and a pay fishing lake in Germantown, OH. His last business venture, a hog breeding operation, was begun in the 1980s in Puryear, TN and shared with son Frank Thill as partner until his eventual retirement in 1998. Charles enjoyed pursuing various interests such as camping and fishing with the family, ham radios, reading, and keeping up on current events. He especially enjoyed discussing politics and following many favorite sports teams, from basketball and baseball to football and boxing. Charles was passionate about airplanes and became an FAA Certified Pilot of small aircraft in the 1970s. Later in life he was a Civil Air Patrol instructor at the Henry County Airport in Paris, TN. Charles also took up archery and building model airplanes which he flew with son Frank Thill. Charles is survived by daughters Nancy Thill of Salt Lake City, UT, and her children Michael and Tanya; Susan (Jerry) Daggett of Seattle, WA, and their children Marisa, Rosalie, Natalie, and Madeline; Joan Janes of Puryear, TN; and son Frank (Jodie) Thill of Puryear, TN, and their children Daniel, Jennifer, and Kelly; and eight great-grandchildren. Charles is survived by sisters Mary (Byron) Cates of Puryear, TN; Patricia (Dale-decd) Malloy of Dayton, OH; and Roberta (Gordon-decd) Meyer of Shalimar, FL; and brother Michael (Carol) Thill of Dayton, OH. Charles was preceded in death by his wife Velma Ruth Thill in 2008, and by brothers Bernard (Dee-living) Thill, James (Marilyn) Thill, and Donald (Donna-living) Thill, all of Dayton, OH. The visitation for Charles Thill will be held from 10:00-12:00 noon on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 at McEvoy Funeral Home, 507 W. Washington St., Paris, TN 38242. The funeral service will follow at noon, also at McEvoy Funeral Home, followed by a graveside burial at the Puryear City Cemetery, HWY 140, Puryear, TN. A post-funeral reception to celebrate Charles life will be held at the home of Frank and Jodie Thill. Memorial donations may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, 200 SE 1st St., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131. SERVICES Funeral Service

Saturday, December 17, 2016 12:00 PM

McEvoy Funeral Home, Inc. 507 West Washington Street Paris, Tennessee 38242