Charles Lindbergh Rissell

Charles Lindbergh Rissell, 86, passed away peacefully in his home August 16, 2015. Charlie was born in Wakefield, Nebraska, June 10, 1929. Known as "PaPa" and "Chach", he would drop whatever he was doing to attend a little girl's tea party, a children's impromptu living room talent show, and be the best customer at a pretend restaurant. There was no better pass-time for him than being with his grandchildren or bragging to the world about them. Watching sports was a close second, of course. Charlie was always full of excitement any time friends and family were around. That may have been because he loved to tell stories! Charlie loved life and had so many happy experiences he wanted to share. As a private pilot, who logged over 7000 miles, he would load up friends and take off to the city for a great steak dinner, then fly home. Then there were the stories about his time in the Korean War, or as the owner of a Jack & Jill Grocery store in Basset Nebraska. Funny stories were mixed with ones about families he helped, or young people who had gotten into trouble and he helped them turn their life around by giving them a job and a second chance. He sold his grocery store in Nebraska and bought the Stardust Motel in Sallisaw Oklahoma, where the stories became full of exciting twists, turns and intrigue. Charlie and his wonderful stories taught us hard work, love, trust, faith, grit and to never ever give up. Charlie truly loved deeply! Charlie is survived by his wife, Anna Rissell; his children, Denise Carle and her husband Scott, Mike Ellis and his wife Hayley; his grandchildren, Madeleine Kimbrough, Olivia Ellis, Clara Grace Carle, Christian Carle, Hunter Carle and Alex Carle; his nieces and nephews; and his grand-dogs, Lucy, Suzy & Lowell. A funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 19, 2015, at Saint Leo's Chapel in Hartford Arkansas, with interment at Hartford Memorial Park under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood. Honorary Pallbearers are Jim Atwell, Robert Fredrickson, Jim McCulley, Fred Smith, Ken Carle, Dennis McCann, Carl Herb, and Jack Morrison. A slide show of memories will be available Wednesday, Aug. 19 at www.PaPaLivedBig.com. To sign an online guestbook, please visit www.mcconnellfh.com.