Obituary of Charles Spurgeon Lees

Charles Spurgeon Lees passed peacefully from this life on Friday, June 6, 2025 in the Melfort Hospital. He was 88 years of age.
Charles was born on August 7, 1936 to Henry (‘Harry’) and Lois Lees. Charles was the youngest of six brothers, George, John, Carey, Kenner, Lloyd,  Archie and three sisters Joy, Dorothy, and Lois. They were all raised on the family farm near Beatty, Saskatchewan. As a young boy, he attended Sweetwater School near Beatty. He took one year of high school in Beatty and then attended Two Rivers Bible Institute situated at the junction of the Carrot and Leather Rivers. Following high school, and still a teenager, Charles attended 3 years at Briercrest Bible College near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He worked on a road construction crew in Alberta. He drove many kinds of earth-moving machinery and this started his life-long fascination and love of Caterpillar equipment.
As the youngest child, Charles grew up in a highly competitive family environment and this manifested itself in achievement in sport. He was an athlete. He learned early on that to survive he had to excel. His first swims were in the farm dugout. Skating, hockey, skiing (behind the family horse), baseball, and football were all competently engaged as a young man. In later years he was an avid cyclist, golfer, tennis player, fierce crokinole player and horseshoe enthusiast. Charles was an avid volunteer and contributor to community sport and enjoyed coaching young people. Charles (‘Chucky’) continued to play old timers’ hockey in Birch Hills and then was a consistent noon hour hockey player well into his eighties in Melfort.
Charles and Myrna (Bohn) were acquainted during high school but started to date a few years later. Charles initiated this relationship with an invitation to Myrna to watch him play at a Kinistino Tigers hockey game. The hockey game was a success and they married on July 17, 1959. Together they raised three children – Tim, Dale and Beth. Charles and Myrna spent a career in pastoral work starting in Ft. St. John (BC) and eventually pastored churches in Ponoka (AB), Kipling (SK), Dauphin (MB), Birch Hills (SK) and Loon Lake (SK). Charles was also active with Christian Service Brigade as Regional Director, District Minister (SK) for the Baptist General Conference, provided pastoral visitation at the Prince Albert Penitentiary and in retirement provided pastoral support for churches and Bible camps throughout Saskatchewan. In his latter years, participating in the Kinistino Community Church was a particular focus and joy for both Charles and Myrna.
Charles was a pastor for the people. His personal and professional lives were seamlessly interwoven. Whether it was at weddings, funerals or Tim Hortons, he had a quiet and personable manner of coming alongside all those that crossed his path. He had a remarkable ability of meaningfully connecting with those that needed attention and an encouraging word.
Charles is survived by his wife Myrna (married almost 66 yrs), sons Tim (Rhonda) and Dale (Cindy), daughter Beth (Allen), grandchildren Rebecca, Sam, Jesse, Rachel, Carmen, Michael (Ashley), Sophie, Connor and Olivia (Brett), his sister Lois, brother Archie and brother-in-law Murray (Kathleen) sister- in- law Doreen and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

Memorial contributions in memory of Charles may be directed to Torch Trail Bible Camp 488 Torch River, Choiceland, Sask. S0J 0M0