Charles “Charlie” Cervantes, 91, of Parsons died at 6:50 p.m. Wednesday, June 2, 2010, at Labette Health.

He was born April 6, 1919, in Parsons to Simon S. and Maria (Paramo) Cervantes. He grew up in Parsons, where he attended McKinley Elementary School and graduated from Parsons High School.

He served during World War II in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1945. Upon his honorable discharge, he returned to Parsons, where he worked at the former Ankortite Products, now Dayton-Superior, retiring from there following 38 years of service.

He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, local Lodge No. 293 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and Veterans of Foreign Wars Brown-Bishop Post No. 704. He was instrumental in starting the “G.I.” Forum in Parsons.

He enjoyed golfing, fishing, bowling, family gatherings and volunteering with bingo at Elmhaven East. He was fondly nicknamed “Bingo Charlie” and “Mayor of Lopez Park.”

He married Lupe Reyes on Oct. 21, 1941, in Labette City. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include two sons, Charles E. Cervantes and his wife, Joy Lee, and Joseph S. Cervantes and his wife, Lisa, all of Parsons; five daughters, Delores Shaw, Gloria Cervantes, Kathy Avery and her husband, Mark, all of Parsons, JoAnn Dupont and her husband, Geno, of Carson, Calif., and Patty Coleman of Phoenix; 17 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Frances Diaz of Tucson, Ariz.

He was preceded in death by a brother, a sister, a daughter and a grandson.

The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. The rosary will be at 5 p.m. Sunday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons, where the family will receive friends immediately following.

Memorials are suggested to Disabled American Veterans or the St. Patrick Catholic School Gymnasium Fund and may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.