Charles William Levi

Charles William Levi, 80, passed away Wednesday February 11, 2026, at Ridgewood Health Campus Lawrenceburg, Indiana surrounded by his family and loving members of his care team. Bill, Charlie or Chuck? If he was Bill to you, it most likely means you know him from his youth growing up in Manchester and Aurora. If you know him as Charlie, you probably know him from Rising Sun, where he settled after marrying Shirley. When he started working at the Sunoco gas station in town there were already two “Bills”, Bill Buddenberg and Bill Gridley, so he had to have a nickname, hence he became known as Charlie. If you call him Chuck, it might mean you came to know him in his later years when Parkinson’s had started to really affect his health. We all had to “Chuckle” at some of the associated struggles that accompanied this final chapter. Chuckling helped him keep the positive attitude he wore so well. Charlie was born to Eugene and Ester Levi in Milan on November 15, 1945. He grew up on Possum Ridge no stranger to hard work and faith alongside his parents and three siblings. Early on in life he developed a true passion for working with his hands and wrenching on fast cars and big motors. He valued the classics. Fate would have it that he met a pretty girl who just happened to drive a ’57 Chevy. They fell in love sharing that passion for classic cars and on June 5, 1964, he married Shirley Ann Buddenberg. Charlie and Shirley settled in Rising Sun where they raised their three children, Teri, Stacy and Nick. His focus was his family. He worked long hours first at Cummins in Columbus, Indiana and then at Monsanto in Addyston, Ohio until his retirement. As Charlie and Shirley raised their family they became deeply rooted in the Rising Sun Community. Charlie served the public in many different roles. He joined the Rising Sun Volunteer Fire Department where he served actively for over 40 years. He was an Ohio County Commissioner for eight years and proud to be a part of the Ohio County Courthouse restoration project. His faith called him to serve on the Consistory at the First United Church of Christ for many years. When the kids were in 4-H he spent several years on the 4-H Fair board where he always enjoyed planning the annual Truck and Tractor Pulls. He also enjoyed helping with the high school band and traveling to their competitions. Drawing on his experience and passion for cars he helped create the Annual Shiner Pride Car Show. Although he worked long hours and endured years of shift work, he made sure to never miss a game even carving out time to coach Little League baseball. When he wasn’t working or serving others you would find him in the garage under the hood of his latest project or teaching his sons and their friends how to fix a mower or work on an engine. Always making time for them all to be involved and feel like part of the Levi family.

Charlie is survived by his daughter, Teri Slusher and wife Tarah, of Greendale, IN; by his two sons Stacy Levi and wife Stacy, of Rising Sun, IN and  Nick Levi and wife Andrea, of Rising Sun, IN;  by his grandchildren: Logan Jaehnen (Beth), Devan Levi  (Alexius),Trevor Levi (Claire), Dylan Levi, Emma Koons (Nick), Maleah Martini, Jenna Martini and Tucker Levi; by his great grandchildren: Eleanor Jo and Maren Sue; by his sisters, Donna Dell, of Moores Hill, IN and Debbie Walker, of Aurora, IN and by his brother, Dale Levi (Linda), of Manchester, IN. Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, by his wife, Shirley Ann Levi and by his brother-in-law, Steve Walker.

Funeral services will be 10:00 AM, Saturday, February 14th, 2026 at Markland Funeral Home in Rising Sun, IN with Tom Work officiating. Visitation will be held 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Friday, February 13th at Markland Funeral Home. Burial will be at Rising Sun New Cemetery. Memorial donations in Charlie's honor can be made to the Rising Sun Fire Department or the Rising Sun Methodist Church. 

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