Birth date: Jan 25, 1942 Death date: Oct 12, 2019
Charles Friend (Charlie) Sego, 77, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, October 12, 2019, at the Willard Walker Hospice Home. He was born in Wichita, KS, to Presley and Virginia (Honey) Friend Sego on Janua Read Obituary
We the members of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and our Pastor, Revered Leon Leath send our condolences and prayers of comfort for the family during this time. May you find comfort and strength in the word of God contained in Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted". May God continue to strengthen and comfort you.
Rev. Leon Leath, Pastor
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
Lynn Haven, Florida
Our family met Charlie thru little league baseball. We were on an opposing team. Charlie was friendly, kind and thoughtful and always said “hi” and asked how my family was doing. I reconnected years later when we moved back to town. My utmost respect and admiration for how he treated people. Scott Alaniz
I haven’t seen Charles since our days at OU, but he was always a friend and I considered him one of the “good guys.” This world will be a lesser place without him.
Pat Kane
The shirt off his back
It was March 1980 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. The successful IBM salesmen from 1979 were there to attend a 3-day recognition event. By total coincidence, Charlie and I were assigned as roommates. Although we had worked in the same Fayetteville office for a year, we really didn’t know each other. But, I knew Charlie’s reputation of being a very good guy.
This was during the absolute “Heyday” of IBM. And within IBM, these were the days where rigid observance of rules of convention and etiquette were an absolute requirement…………… particularly, in regards to dress. One would not consider attending an IBM event dressed in other than a 3-piece pin stripe suit, white shirt, conservative tie, and black wing-tip shoes. Hard to believe, right?
As we started dressing for the first official event……… an evening banquet……. I discovered to my absolute horror that I had not packed white shirts. This was tantamount to being labeled a fool. It was too late to go shopping and certainly out of the question to attend the banquet. As I sat down to ponder my disgrace, Charlie said, “What’s up?” I told him.
Charlie reached in the closet, withdrew a freshly starched white shirt, and handed it to me. I said, “What’s up?” He said he had brought two and I was welcome to one of them. I said, “Hold on, there are two 4-hour business meetings and two banquets, you will need both of them.” Charlie smiled that wonderful smile and said, “I think we can both manage with one, don’t you?”
He was a “Men’s Large” and I was a “Men’s Small”…………. biggest shirt I ever wore. Collar was pretty loose, but hidden under a suit jacket and vest, no one noticed. Knowing I would be embarrassed, he never mentioned it to anyone and never brought it up again for the next 40 years. We enjoyed more IBM trips together during the next decade and always had wonderful times.
This is a baseball
Charlie asked me to assist him in coaching Babe Ruth Baseball and boy did he understand the game. At the first team meeting each year, Charlie would hold up a baseball, and say, “Gentlemen, this is a baseball.” The boys thought he was nuts. But, he was a master at teaching 14 and 15 year-old boys the fundamentals of the game. By the end of the first practice, they had changed their minds. His teams competed for the championship almost every year.
More importantly, Charlie was interested in the development of their moral character. He taught by his actions, always demonstrating the right way to handle every situation. My son (now almost 50 years old) played for Charlie. When I called to tell him of Charlie’s death, he said, “I have such great memories of Charlie. He was a wonderful coach who added layers to my baseball knowledge. He gave me good lessons about patience, until it became part of me. He also left an indelible mark on my lexicon ... I have been saying "Jiminy Christmas" for well over 30 years because of him.”
Remembrance
“Give (someone) the shirt off one’s back” is defined in Webster’s as: “to do anything to help (someone)”. And, that was the essence of the man.
I will remember Charlie as a man of grace who showed by his actions that he was a Christian.
“Cha-Lee”, you were loved and will be greatly missed.
Bob Harriell
I will be eternally grateful for Charlie's compassion, love, and friendship. Thank you, Charlie. You will be missed.
I knew Charlie from both church and BSF. I had the opportunity to get to know him a bit through our study of The Word together. He will always be remembered as a blessing from God to all who knew him.
When I moved from San Antonio Texas I met Charlie Sego as my tutor at Ozark Literacy Council we spent a lot of time on English conversation classes, after a few weeks we became good friends, we decided to move our english conversation classes to Panera Bread. We met there every Tuesday and he taught me about the Bible and one day in his prayers I give my heart to Jesus Lord.
Although I haven't seen Charlie since high school, I always considered him a friend. Reading his obituary, it is obvious his was a life well lived and a blessing to others.
I was fortunate to be teamed with Charlie as a young IBM System Engineer trying to win back the University of Arkansas account for IBM. Most IBMer's though at the time it was a lost cause. I learned more about life, customers, people, the right way of doing things-
big and small, how important it was to have the right balance between work, family, community, and God, from Charlie than anyone else other than my parents in that one year. I wasn't smart enough at the time to ask for advice on these topics but all I had to do was observe how Charlie lived his life! THANK YOU Charlie Sego for touching my life more than you ever realized and I am sure Charlie had the same effect on everybody he
came across. He had a special gift and we are so lucky he share it with the world!
Yes, we did win back the U of A as an account but that was the least important thing that happen to me that year. The most important, significate, thing that year was I got to hang with Charlie Sego!
I am sorry for your loss and the whole family is in my prayers. Cherish the many wonderful memories. Hoping you get comfort knowing what Charlie meant to me.
Bruce Hill
