Charles Douglas Puckett

Charles Douglas Puckett, 73, passed away unexpectedly on January 17, 2024. He went to work as usual that morning, and arrived at his eternal home that afternoon. He left this world quickly and surrounded by his family which was exactly what he hoped would happen when his time came.

Charles was the only child of Jack and Vera Puckett of Brookneal, Virginia. Jack and Vera hoped and prayed for a child for over fifteen years, and as soon as they realized that their prayer had been answered, they immediately began praying for a son who would grow up to be a wise man. They cherished every minute with Charles, and treated him as an adult from an early age as they taught him everything they knew about life through working together on their family farm. Charles attended Randolph-Henry High School as a teenager, and it was during those years that he met the love of his life, Penny Hartig. 

He graduated high school in 1969, and that fall, Charles left for Blacksburg where he discovered the next love of his life, Virginia Tech. He decided to major in accounting with plans to become a CPA, and when he returned home after his first semester, he proposed to Penny. They got married in September of 1970, and two months later were faced with the devastating loss of Penny’s father, Ben Hartig, which would drastically alter the path of their lives. Just over a year later, with Charles going to school and working his three jobs of grass mowing, bus driving, and gas pumping, he and Penny decided that the perfect time had arrived to begin growing their family. They soon found out that they were expecting their first child, and Dayton arrived just a few months before Charles graduated in May of 1973. After graduation, Charles and Penny packed up their little family and moved to Farmville, Virginia to help Penny’s mother, Bea Hartig, run the business that she and Ben had started. This move introduced Charles to the next love of his life, Town & Country Furniture. During the next few years, he helped to build the store, learned the insurance business at Farm Bureau, welcomed son, Daniel, into the world, and became the founder and owner of Charles D. Puckett Insurance Agency. 

The family lived on top of the hill overlooking the furniture store which provided a unique way of living, working, and playing together as a close family unit which strongly reflected his own upbringing. Charles enjoyed raising his boys to work hard, play hard, and love hard. Their family days were filled with church, work, school, and service. It was during those years that Charles was a member of Heritage Baptist Church where he served in many capacities including chairman of the deacons, deacon, moderator, and sous chef to Penny as they prepared countless meals together for church events. He became a member of the Farmville Masonic Lodge where he served as Master, District Deputy Grand Master, treasurer, and trustee, as well as joining the Southside Shrine Club where he served as president and treasurer over the years.

In 2015, Charles suffered a catastrophic ascending aortic dissection and was told that it was an absolute miracle that he survived. Months later, he and Penny made the difficult decision to retire and close Town & Country Furniture. They rented out the building as a second location for another furniture store. However, Charles’ love of running the store and his desire to be back in business persisted through his retirement, and several years later when the renters moved on and he was feeling stronger and healthier, he decided to reopen the doors. His children teased him about “failing retirement,” but he never regretted reopening and loved every minute of being back in the store again working alongside his beloved team, visiting with customers and cherished friends, and feeling a renewed sense of purpose every day. 

Charles was always the happiest when he was surrounded by his family and friends attending Tech games, taking trips, especially cruises, being surprised with whatever delicious meal Penny prepared for him, going out for special meals, and enjoying every minute of his life to the fullest. As if he somehow knew that his time on Earth was coming to a close, the last two weeks of his life were filled with making core memories with family and close friends such as visiting Virginia Tech, attending a local basketball game with one of his grandsons, and a family birthday celebration that was filled with love and laughter. 

To all who knew him, it was clear that the greatest loves of his life were God, Penny, and his family. He felt that his most significant accomplishments were being husband to Penny, father to Dayton and Daniel, and father-in-law to Toni and Brandy whom he loved and treated as the daughters he never had. In his own words, found written in the notes section of his phone after his passing, he said that Penny “was an unbelievable partner, the love of my life, and my best friend with whom I built a wonderful life.”  He often said that he would be forgotten soon after his death, but that his legacy would be continued through his sons and his six beloved grandchildren, Hadley, Charlton, Berke, Carly, Caleb, and Baby Caroline, who has surely been in Charles’ arms since Wednesday afternoon. 

A celebration of life will be held at Puckett Funeral Home on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 with a private burial following. Family will receive friends on Tuesday from12:00-2:00pm at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can go to Heritage Baptist, Shriners Children’s Hospital, or a special charity of choice.