Charles "Charlie" Absten

Charles F. “Charlie” Absten, 48, of Liberty, WV died tragically in an automobile accident on Cross Lanes Dr., Nitro, WV Saturday, June 25, 2016. Born September 11, 1967 in Ohio, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Adam and Hazel Absten; Uncles, Dennie, Dake and Tommy Absten; grandparents-in-law, John and Connie Sprites and Kathryn Whetzel; sister-in-law, Cindy Sprites McCormick. Charlie was a 1985 graduate of Poca High School. He began his career shortly thereafter as a bus driver with Putnam County Schools, where he was employed for over 25 years. He attended West Virginia State University, achieving his Board of Regents’ degree while working. Many of his students will remember the bus trips when he would stop for ice cream and treat them to his music. He was a founding member of Charlie Absten and Distant Thunder, where he fulfilled his dream of performing country music. The bands’ gigs and travels throughout the surrounding area were always filled with talent and passion. The local music scene has lost one of its most vibrant performers. His passion for the outdoors extended to hunting and golfing, as well as a variety of others; in which there are too many to mention. He had an abundance of family and friends that simply loved him dearly. He was loved by all that knew him. Surviving are his wife, Karen Sprites Absten and their daughter, Cecilia of Cross Lanes; his parents, Norma and Manny Moles of Liberty; his sister, Darlena (Gene) Walters of Winfield, WV; his brothers, Stanley and Gene Moles of Florida and Tony (Sandy) Moles of Nitro, WV. Also surviving are the Sprites family, whom he held as his own, father and mother-in-law, Raymond and Charlotte Sprites of Pittsburgh, PA; brothers-in-law and their families, James and Julie Sprites of Pittsburgh and their children, Olivia and Raymond, Todd and Lisa Sprites of Clarksburg, MD and their children, Christopher, Jeremy and Madison, Scott McCormick of Pittsburgh and he and Cindy’s children, Taura, Noelle, and Anna and Taura’s daughter, Callie. Also surviving are siblings at heart, Wendy Noffsinger Parsons and TJ Noffsinger; nieces and nephews, Adam, Brandon and Kaitlyn Walters of Winfield and Tyler Moles of Nitro; aunts and uncles, Ruth Reed, Rosalee (Leroy) Harrison, Bud (Yvonne Absten, Luella DeWeese, Deanna (Bill) DeWeese, Theodore Moles and Eva (Tim) Noffsinger, whom he considered his second momma and daddy. A service to celebrate the life of Charlie Absten will be held 2pm Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at Chapman Funeral Home, Winfield with Pastor Doug McComas officiating. Burial will be in Barnett Chapel Cemetery, Liberty, WV. Visitation will be held from 5-9pm Tuesday at the funeral home. You may visit Charlie’s tribute page at www.chapmanfuneralhomes.com to share memories with the family. Memorial contributions can be made toward an education fund for Cecilia at any branch of City National Bank. Chapman Funeral Home, family-owned and located in Winfield, WV is honored to serve the Absten/Moles family.

Charles "Charlie" Absten

September 11, 1967 - June 25, 2016