"Look," she shouted down the hallway of the office building, "I have got to get this web site up and running TODAY! If you don’t have your bio ready for me by the end of the day, you might as well write your obituary!"
In Remembrance:
Charles Walter McCanless, born in ‘54 to Charles and Dot, then of Atlanta, GA, grew up in pre-Disney Orlando, FL where his parents had moved when he was about two. He spent as much time as possible outside on the lakes, in the groves, camping, playing and as little time as possible in school or studying.
After managing to graduate from High School, then working for Disney World that first summer when the Mouse opened wide its mouth and started devouring Central Florida, he went to college, after college, after college, finally graduating from Southwestern at Memphis, a school which wisely changed its name after Walt left (it’s now Rhodes College). Finally fully qualified to clean out manholes, lay pipe through marshes, load packages for UPS, then later to work on a surveying crew by day and in an airport bar at night, Walt gained the experience that would serve him well for his later calling.
Having benefitted from a large and active youth ministry while growing up, Walt had some interest in working with youth in a church setting, which he did while in college and for a few summers afterwards. The decision to attend seminary was a difficult one, until finally his fiancee’s drunken boss told him he should just do it. So, in five short years Walt completed the three year M. Div. degree at Columbia Theological Seminary and was called to work as an Associate Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian in Spartanburg, SC with his old youth pastor, Charlie Horne. Nine years later, Walt ended up in Bartow, FL serving as Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, then six years later, arrived at Providence where he’s served for some 13 years.
Surviving Walt’s presence and influence, though hardly unaffected by them, are: his wife of thirty years, Annie, a sainted woman and teacher and swim coach at Providence High School; four children, Marie, a theological student at Louisville Seminary in Kentucky; Margaret, a design engineer working in Los Angeles, CA; Charlie, a student, swimmer and guitarist at ECU; and Emily a sophmore at Queens University who loves working at a local bakery; and of course the dog and three cats.
Services will be held on Sundays, 9 and 11:05 am and on certain other occasions as well. Visitation is generally Tuesday - Friday, 11 am to 4:30 pm in the church office, or by appointment, or you can e-mail.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts and cash donations can be made to "The Pastor’s Slush Fund" at Providence Presbyterian Church.
May he Rest In Peas.
