Charner Brooks West

Charner Brooks West, age 92, of Campobello, South Carolina, passed away on April 24, 2024. He was born in Campobello on May 9, 1931. Charner, or “C.B” as he was called by many, was beloved by his family and was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather until his last breath. He was known for his unflappable disposition, his indomitable work ethic, and his deadpan sense of humor.

Charner was happiest when at work and serving others, beginning with his first job as a curb hop at Spartanburg’s famous Beacon Drive-in. He enlisted in the Navy after high school, and soon after met the love of his life and wife of 73 years, “Dot”, while swimming with friends at Rainbow Lake in Spartanburg. The two married and moved to Columbia, where Charner began a successful career in sales at Swift and Company. After 25 years, he left Swift and began his own venture with Sumter Frozen Foods in 1971. Many years later, he retired to his beloved Campobello, but his rest was short-lived, as he soon took a part-time job at the Tryon IGA as a butcher to avoid any further idle time.

He loved reading the newspaper, talking about politics and sports, taking long drives through the piedmont, lamenting the rising cost of groceries and gas, trying to navigate FaceTime with his grandchildren, and cooking classic southern food for his family. He felt most at home in rolling hills of the South Carolina upstate and spent most of his free time outside farming his own fresh vegetables, growing beautiful flowers to share with loved ones, raising livestock at the family farm, and fishing with his daughters. He was also an avid quail hunter, raising pointers for many years to compete in field trials.

Charner was a proud Navy veteran, a deacon at the Alice Drive Baptist Church in Sumter, the former President of the Sumter, Lee, and Clarendon County Shrine Club, and the former Chairman of the Sumter County Republican Party.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy West, of Campobello, his three daughters Kathy West of Campobello, Karen West and Janet West King both of Myrtle Beach, and his three grandchildren, Kathleen King Smith (Gregg) of Myrtle Beach, Lorrie King of Washington, DC, and Joseph King, III, of Orlando, FL. He is also survived by his sister Polly Jones of Moore, and preceded in death by his father, Sorrells Furman West, his mother, Mary Alice Durham West, and nine brothers and sisters.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 1:00pm –2:00pm at Petty Funeral Home in Landrum, SC. A graveside service will follow at 2:30pm at the Motlow Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Campobello with Reverend Greg Shippam officiating.

The family would like to extend a special and heartfelt thanks to the staff and nurses of White Oak Manor for their love, kindness, and dedicated care of Charner his final months.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a cause very dear to Charner’s heart. 

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