March 20, 1955 – February 24, 2025

Charles Henry Bender was born at the Misericordia Hospital (Edmonton) on March 20, 1955, at 8:50am to Henry and Irene Bender. He was the second born child of 4 siblings. He is survived by his youngest brother Alan Bender (Kim), children Daniel and Charline Bender, and grandchildren Cylus Bender and Johnny Bender Hrycun. He will be lovingly welcomed on the other side by his parents and his siblings Andrew Bender and Elaine Cole. 

His Mother called him Charles but not many others did. Perhaps a teacher or two when they meant business, as they likely did often based on a 1969 report card which graded him “poor” in the self-control, obedience and respect for authority categories. He was Charlie to most, though he welcomed the promotion to “Grandpa Chuck” in his later years. He was born and raised in Edmonton and he truly loved this city. He remembered Edmonton when most of the current neighbourhoods were just open fields waiting to be explored. When he was young he spent as many hours as he could outdoors with his friends doing just that. 

His love for being active led him to play many sports when he was young. He dabbled in basketball, hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, golf and football. In 1973, his senior year of High School at Archbishop MacDonald, his Marauders football team became city champions in a snowy game against the McNally Tigers. His picture was in the paper sporting #32 and he was proud of this win for the rest of his life. So proud that it actually came up in conversation just a few years ago and he found out Charline’s father-in-law John Hrycun happened to be a coach on the opposing team’s bench. In 1975 Charlie travelled to Ontario with the North Glenora Blues lacrosse team to compete in the Canadian Junior “B” championship, placing third. He played hockey until he was in his 50’s. Golf was what he excelled at most though. He won many prizes in golf tournaments throughout his years and would spend Sunday’s on the course with Dan and Cylus up until very recently.

Charlie followed in his father’s footsteps by getting a job with the City of Edmonton Drainage Services department in August of 1975.  He worked his way through foremanship training and completed level IV in 1991. He continued his education by getting certificates in Wastewater Collection level I in 2002 and level II in 2003. Charlie was incredibly knowledgeable and intelligent when it came to his work. The politics and management of his department he may have had some notes on though… Lively “discussions” about drainage services started between Charlie and his Dad and evolved to Charlie and his Son as Daniel became a third generation Bender in that very department. Charlie’s career was much more than just a job, it connected him with the city in a deep way (literally and figuratively). If you drove anywhere in Edmonton Charlie could, and would, tell you exactly which services he put in, when, and how the job went. He helped Edmonton grow in a way most would never give thought to until he retired in 2011 after just over 35 years of service. 

Charlie enjoyed the outdoors, camping and fishing. He put in many hours of sweat equity helping to build the family cabin at Lac St. Anne and made many years of wonderful memories there. Carson lake was his favourite fishing spot, though there were a few fishing trips in B.C. he would often reminisce about. In 2023 he got to enjoy a trip to Comox B.C. with all his kids and grandkids to do one last big fishing hurrah on the ocean. It was a time his family was very lucky to share with him. While he definitely did not have a love for travel, he did have one epic 2 month adventure in 1978 and he would genuinely light up when he talked about it. He tagged along with his friend from junior high (Dan Haley) who had hockey tryouts in California. They road tripped from Edmonton to B.C., then down the west coast of the U.S., only to find out they were one month early for the tryouts. With a few weeks to spare they drove down to Mexico (where Charlie had the best lobster of his life), across Texas, through New Orleans, pit stopped at Disneyworld, and ended up in Miami. They stored their van for $1/day and hopped on the cheapest flight they could find. $20 later they landed in Cartagena, Columbia. Despite what Columbia in the 70’s might bring to mind, Charlie flew to Santa Marta because “if you want premium pot, that’s where you get it”. He enjoyed a few weeks in the Columbian heat before returning to Florida and driving back across to see the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. When he flew home from Vegas he walked in to the house he’d been sharing with friends and found out (as he came face to face with some strangers) that they’d moved out while he was away. Don’t worry, they moved his stuff with them. This trip was a highlight of his life and when he talked about it you could catch a glimpse of the young, fun and free man he once was. 

The enduring thing that made Charlie truly come alive though was music. He attended countless live music events as a member of the West Edmonton Music Society. He maintained his record collection throughout his life and sharing his albums was sharing the deepest pieces of himself. He connected with music on a soulful level. Some of his favourite records included Kansas, Moody Blues, The Beatles (Abbey Road specifically), Jimmy Cliff, and his #1 of course: Bob Marley. Bob Marley’s message of universal love and respect always resonated with Charlie. He was a very accepting person and his “live and let live” mentality is something the world would benefit to have more of. 

While the second half of Charlie’s life saw him often at home and keeping to himself, he did have many years of big parties, big adventures and big laughs in his younger days. He had friends who were genuinely like Brother’s to him. To those men (you know who you are) the friendships you formed were so important to him. You were pillars in his life, your love and friendship meant a lot, and he never ever forgot that or stopped loving you. I know he’d want you to know that in case he didn’t get a chance to say it himself.

These are the details of Charlie’s life, but it’s the smaller things his family will miss the most. His all encompassing hugs. The way he greeted his son with “Junior” and daughter with “Schmoodie”. The way he could absentmindedly whistle entire songs in perfect pitch. His homemade BBQ sauce on chicken wings or his cheese potatoes. His ability to blow perfect smoke rings within other perfect smoke rings. His prowess at crosswords. The way he would use his thumbs to tuck his long hair back. His “it still works” mentality when it comes to anything and everything around the house. His same old coffee mug that got many decades of use. His moustache that was so epic it had its own nickname at his work (Claude). Seeing him stare lovingly at his Grandchildren who were his absolute joy. The mountains of pride he had for his children. His unwavering reliability. He was a complex man with a simple lifestyle, but his love ran deep and his absence leaves a hole in our hearts.

There will be an open house style Celebration of life at his residence on Saturday March 22, 2025, from 4pm until late. Food and drinks will be provided. Come when you can and stay til you want. That house on Groat Road has been in the Bender family since 1963 and Dad said “it always felt like home”. That house was a part of his heart and a piece of his soul and many people have made great memories there over the years. So please join us in making one more night of memories as we throw the 70th birthday party that Charlie would have deserved had he made it one more month (and agreed to be more social for once). For the address or further details, you can contact his daughter Char at (780)239-9761 or Dan at (780)498-1711.