Big Muddy rancher
Well-known member
Many of us have read Chuck’s posts on Ranchers.net and I wanted to thank you personally for your kind words and condolences following Chuck’s death. Although not blood kin, Chuck and I were as close as brother and sister, and I’ve been blessed to be a part of his family for the past ten years. Reading his posts gave us a glimpse into some of his thoughts that he did not verbally communicate during his illness. Many of you may not have known the extent of Chuck’s illness, or the multitude of drugs he took just to stay alive. During the last months of his life he battled widespread metastases in his brain, lung, adrenal gland, kidney, liver, spleen, intestines, pelvic bone, shoulder and the cutaneous ones on his stomach and rear end that he described in one of his posts. An average man would have given up and laid down his sword, but not my “little brother” Chuck! He loved life and his family too much to stop fighting, right up until he drew his last breath.
I readily admit that Chuck’s spelling left a lot to be desired, and coupled with his huge hands pecking out messages on his blackberry, led to many misspelled words and incorrect grammar. He was a country boy at heart, but he told his stories with far more “Cracker” slang than he spoke in real life. He was an intelligent, well-read man who just happened to prefer being a cowboy to going to college. We are hoping that his youngest son will find a way to do both, although I secretly admit I’d prefer he not follow in Chuck’s cowboy footsteps! Yesterday, Trey’s horse missed clearing a fence while chasing a cow and Trey was thrown, knocked out cold and has a concussion. You can imagine how scared we all were at the thought of something happening to Trey. With Chuck’s death, and his brother Mike still battling Multiple Myeloma and MDS, this family has more than enough to worry about.
In addition to Trey and Savannah who still lived at home, Chuck has an older son named Tate, and a daughter named Grace. Chuck was equally proud of them, but since neither of them followed in the cow and horse loving ways of their Daddy, they were not mentioned in the stories he posted on the Ranchers.net site. Tate is smart, witty and handsome like his Daddy, and Grace, who is beautiful like her mother currently lives in New Orleans where she is in the graduate program at Tulane working on her Masters in Fine Art. Since your wife is also an accomplished artist, I will be sure and send Grace a link to your website so she can see Tamela’s work. Like you, his youngest daughter Savannah is a poet and writes beautifully. Chuck was blessed to have been married to two wonderful women who each gave him two beautiful children. His legacy will live on through them and their children, and he will never be forgotten.
I enjoyed seeing your family photos on your website so I enclosed a few pictures so you can see Chuck’s Mama and his other children in happier times. The black and white of Chuck is one of my favorites and shows that he really was, as he called it “purdy”!! His niece Tyler wrote yesterday on the site and described him as movie star handsome….he was that and a whole lot more! One of the greatest gifts God ever bestowed upon me was the privilege of knowing and loving Chuck Mikell, and I will cherish his memory forever.
If you wish, feel free to post my email and these pictures on the Bull Session for the other members who also expressed their condolences.
With respect and fond wishes,
Cindy Penberthy
Gainesville, FL
Chuck and Tate
The kids
Granny and the kids
Chuck/ Cowhunter. May he rest in peace and never foul his rope in his angel wings.
I readily admit that Chuck’s spelling left a lot to be desired, and coupled with his huge hands pecking out messages on his blackberry, led to many misspelled words and incorrect grammar. He was a country boy at heart, but he told his stories with far more “Cracker” slang than he spoke in real life. He was an intelligent, well-read man who just happened to prefer being a cowboy to going to college. We are hoping that his youngest son will find a way to do both, although I secretly admit I’d prefer he not follow in Chuck’s cowboy footsteps! Yesterday, Trey’s horse missed clearing a fence while chasing a cow and Trey was thrown, knocked out cold and has a concussion. You can imagine how scared we all were at the thought of something happening to Trey. With Chuck’s death, and his brother Mike still battling Multiple Myeloma and MDS, this family has more than enough to worry about.
In addition to Trey and Savannah who still lived at home, Chuck has an older son named Tate, and a daughter named Grace. Chuck was equally proud of them, but since neither of them followed in the cow and horse loving ways of their Daddy, they were not mentioned in the stories he posted on the Ranchers.net site. Tate is smart, witty and handsome like his Daddy, and Grace, who is beautiful like her mother currently lives in New Orleans where she is in the graduate program at Tulane working on her Masters in Fine Art. Since your wife is also an accomplished artist, I will be sure and send Grace a link to your website so she can see Tamela’s work. Like you, his youngest daughter Savannah is a poet and writes beautifully. Chuck was blessed to have been married to two wonderful women who each gave him two beautiful children. His legacy will live on through them and their children, and he will never be forgotten.
I enjoyed seeing your family photos on your website so I enclosed a few pictures so you can see Chuck’s Mama and his other children in happier times. The black and white of Chuck is one of my favorites and shows that he really was, as he called it “purdy”!! His niece Tyler wrote yesterday on the site and described him as movie star handsome….he was that and a whole lot more! One of the greatest gifts God ever bestowed upon me was the privilege of knowing and loving Chuck Mikell, and I will cherish his memory forever.
If you wish, feel free to post my email and these pictures on the Bull Session for the other members who also expressed their condolences.
With respect and fond wishes,
Cindy Penberthy
Gainesville, FL
Chuck and Tate
The kids
Granny and the kids
Chuck/ Cowhunter. May he rest in peace and never foul his rope in his angel wings.