CHARLES MCNEAR'S LIFE STORY

GENESIS:

Charles Donald McNear was born in Wichita, Kansas on July 14, 1944 to the late Charles A. McNear and Lois (Staten) McNear Clayton. He was an only child; however, there was a large village of loved ones and neighbors who were instrumental in his upbringing, primarily his great grandparents, Arthur and Vera Peppars who raised him while his parents worked.  Charles was a headstrong, inquisitive child – often getting into mischief for insisting on doing things his way, but doing things his way taught him independent thinking and how to navigate life in the Midwest and beyond.

INFORMATIONAL:

Charles graduated from East High School in Wichita in 1962, attended Hutchison Junior College and then Wichita State prior to enlisting in the U.S. Air Force from 1965 to 1969.

From the Air Force, Charles went on to work at architectural firms and governmental agencies; he became self-employed from 1994 through 2019 in the construction management field.

LOVE

38 years ago, he met the love of his life, Jennette Basil.  Once they met, they were pretty much inseparable, there was no looking back for either of them; they became "joined at the hip" – if you saw one, you usually saw the other.  They married on February 11, 1989; and for 36 years of marriage, together they built and shared a wonderful life until the time of his passing.

Charles became unwell in 2017; however, continued to work in his beloved field of architecture and construction management until retirement in 2019.

From retirement until his passing Charles was lovingly cared for by Jennette and other caregivers who made certain his every need was met.

OUR LORD'S GRACE:

Our Lord placed within Charles the most generous of hearts.  He always wanted to know what he could do to help someone.  His standard response to others was "Let me know what I can do to help."

Our Lord Jesus called Charles home on June 12, 2025 to the place He promised to prepare for him.

Over his lifetime Charles was associated with a few churches; CME, AME in Wichita, KS and Baptist in Maryland.  He joined the First Baptist Church of Glenarden in September 2010 where he immediately went to work as a soldier for Christ!

Those who passed before him were his mother, father and stepfather – Lois McNear Clayton, Charles A. McNear and LaVerne Clayton, grandparents Donald and Dorothy Staten; great grandparents Vera and Arthur Peppars; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Edward Davis Basil, Sr. and Marguerite Johnson Basil; his brother-in-law, Edward Davis Basil, Jr.

Those surviving and mourning Charles are his adoring wife, Jennette; his children Charles McNear, Jr. and Cheron McNear of Maryland; his sisters-in-law, Gertrude Nolan of Temple Hills, MD; Sharon Basil, Leah Basil Johnson of Reston and Middleburg, VA, respectively; very special nieces, Teresa Walker of San Antonio, TX; Sherrese Johnson of Ashburn, VA; Keith Basil of Norfolk, VA; Daphne Basil, Amber Basil, Bryce Basil, Arica Basil and nephew Edward Basil III, all of San Antonio, TX; and other great nieces and great nephews.

Special recognition to his longtime friend and former coworker of many years, Rodner Wright, who always followed up and came to see his friend/fellow traveling golf partner and avid golf enthusiast.