Charles B. Lutz, Jr.

Charles Bulkley Lutz, Jr. passed away peacefully on June 27th after nearly 82 years of life filled with love, friendship, dedication and fun.Charles was born July 28, 1939, in Oklahoma City to Charles B. and Adelaide Lutz.He grew up in Oklahoma City and attended Wilson Elementary School and Casady School. He was a proud member of the Wilson Wolves baseball team and was a member of almost every athletic team at Casady. During his formative years in Oklahoma City, he made lifelong friends. In the ninth grade, he enrolled at Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts. Charles had great experiences at Milton, making friendships that he maintained through his 60th class reunion. Always a sports fan, he was a speedy centerfielder for Milton, and was recognized in his senior yearbook as a baseball star called the "Oklahoma Flash." Charles attended Harvard University for two years before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. He shared many stories of his exploits on military bases located on Paris Island, South Carolina and in San Diego, California. Charles was trained as an air traffic controller and was assigned to various Marine combat aviation units. Before joining the Marines, Charles met Patricia Trueblood, a lovely young lady from Oklahoma City, and they were married when he completed his military service.Charles then earned his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Oklahoma. Charles joined Speck, Philbin and Fleig after graduation from law school, focusing on probate and estate planning. He made great friends at the firm and was particularly close to John Philbin, a respected colleague and mentor. Charles was appointed municipal judge for the City of Nichols Hills in July 1986 and served for 32 years. He was particularly proud of his impact on juvenile offenders during his tenure.Charles served as president of the Beacon Club and the Oklahoma City Downtown Lions Club during his long professional career, and also served on the board of directors of the All Sports Association which ran the All-College Basketball Classic in Oklahoma City for many years.The church was an important part of Charles' life. His parents helped found All Souls' Episcopal Church, where he became an active participant in the church community. Charles was a member of the first Stephen Ministry class at All Souls' and faithfully served as a trained lay minister for many years. Charles was a student at heart and loved to study the bible and ask difficult questions of the clergy; he almost never missed Father Petley's sunrise weekly Bible study."Lutz," as his OU pals called him, was a Sooner fan extraordinaire. He loved everything about Oklahoma football and basketball and was a fixture at games in Norman. Some of his most treasured experiences involved traveling to watch his beloved Sooners play football on the road where he always stayed at the team hotel and oftentimes offered pre-game strategic advice to both Coach Switzer and Coach Stoops, as well as members of their staff. Charles always had a great time celebrating frequent Sooner road victories, especially big games in Dallas, Columbia, Lincoln, Columbus and Miami.Another passion for Charles was sharing his love of the outdoors. With friends he formed the "Brotherhood of the Wiley Trout," spending many trips fly fishing in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and especially Martin's Ranch and Vermejo located in northern New Mexico. Charles had many, many friends – he loved to laugh and tell stories, often punctuated by a sly wink and smile. Charles especially loved his membership in The Freres, his lunch group led by good friend Michele Buthion of La Baguette. He could be the life of the party or provide thoughtful insights, and he often did both. With Charles, encounters were always an unpredictable adventure with fun and friendship at the top of the list.Most of all, Charles (known lovingly to his family as Papa) was a great father and fantastic friend, and he will be missed.Charles was preceded in death by his parents, wife Patty and sister Adelaide Lutz Ladd. He is survived by his two children, Charlie Lutz III (Susan) of Denver, Colorado and Fred Lutz (Lisa) of Edwards, Colorado; grandchildren Sophi, Parker, Courtenay, and Carder Lutz; and longtime companion Mary Anne Malone.The memorial service for Charles will be held at All Souls' Episcopal Church on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 1:00 PM.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to All Souls' Episcopal Church will be appreciated. Contributions can be mailed to All Souls' Episcopal Church, 6400 North Pennsylvania, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 or made online at www.allsoulsokc.com.