It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Charles Francis Mankus of Windsor, Colorado on March 14, 2025, at the age of 81, from sudden and unexpected illness. Charlie is survived by his wife, Sally; his children, Cheryl and Andrew (and their spouses, Tim and Lydia); his grandchildren, Cole and Emma; and many dear family and friends.

Charlie was born on March 6, 1944, in Washington, DC.  He held a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering (1966) and a M.S. in Telecommunications Engineering (1997) from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and worked for 40+ years as an electrical engineer.  His knowledge and experience as an engineer carried throughout life and into retirement, where he applied his skills to his many hobbies and interests. 

First and foremost, Charlie loved his family and was dedicated to taking care of us all.  He will be remembered as a beloved spouse, parent, father-in-law, grandfather and friend. He will be greatly missed by many. His love, support, humor, and knowledge have had a lasting impact and leave behind a life-long legacy. 

Charlie and his wife, Sally, were married for 53 years.  They shared a loving and adventurous life together.  Their story began in Dallas, and shortly thereafter, they moved to Colorado which truly became their home.  They built a house from the ground up in the Black Forest where they spent much of their early life together on 20 acres, raising two kids and enjoying life in the woods.  Their love for nature continued through family life and in retirement as they traveled and camped in many national and state parks throughout the country.  They spent a lifetime supporting each other in their pursuits and passions, and finding joy in laughter together, the big events in life and the small everyday moments like spending time by the fire watching snow fall and feeding the birds.   

Charlie was a dedicated and loving dad and granddad.  Early on, he instilled a love of learning, music, nature, science and more in his children.   He always wanted to know what was happening in our lives and what new projects were in the works.  He was interested to learn about Andy’s life as a park ranger and pilot, visiting his many national park homes.  When Andy purchased his plane, Dad was so excited to learn about the technical aspects and tracked his flights across the country – following each leg of the trip to see him home.    Charlie and his daughter, Cheryl, shared a love of music, especially blues and jazz. He was a supportive father-in-law, welcoming and embracing the opportunity for our families to grow and succeed together. And he loved a family barbeque or holiday event with all the good food and laughter at the table.  He loved being a granddad – talking about outer space and stars, driving trains, telling granddad jokes; and always treating the grandkids to big bowls of ice cream or baking and eating giant cookies. 

Charlie was one-of-a-kind and will be remembered for his many unique interests.  Some hobbies and curiosities carried through from childhood to the end of his life. Many will remember him for his unique pursuits and questions, while others will remember him riding his bike through the neighborhoods and countryside.  He was known to his family as a “walking encyclopedia”, with a deep knowledge of many things and an inquisitiveness that lead him to figure out how anything worked. He applied this to many aspects of his life: building a home and fixing things in it, model railroading, astronomy and more.  He was always a phone-call away with help and advice to help solve a problem. 

He was a licensed amateur radio operator for over 70 years, beginning his passion at the age of 10. He was a lifetime member of the American Radio Relay League. 

Charlie loved jazz and blues music, especially that of the 40s and 50s. He could play many instruments by ear: piano, banjo, harmonica and accordion. Many remember him tearing it up on the piano, playing his favorite boogie-woogie jazz tunes at home, friends’ houses or early days at The Quiet Man pub in Dallas. 

Charlie found joy and peace in his model railroading hobby. His interests began early in life and culminated over the last 10 years in an extensive layout. It is truly a masterpiece of precision, art and engineering depicting many scenes that carry steam trains and track through the mountains, forests, farms and town; all with a nod to the family and places he loved. He shared his knowledge and passion for trains with anyone who wanted to listen. He was a member of the Northern Colorado Model Railroad Club.  A familiar face at meetings and events, Charlie dedicated many hours to helping club members learn about model railroads and advising them on their own layouts. He made many good friends through this hobby and thoroughly enjoyed the time and personal connections that came from it. 

His family and friends will think of Charlie anytime a train rolls by or an engine blast in the distance.

According to his wishes, no services were held.  The family will gather to share cherished memories of Charlie, and a long and beautiful life lived… sending him back to the mountains and trees on the wind.