Charles “Charlie” Elliott, age 74 of Clarksville, passed away on July 12, 2021.
He was educated in Montgomery County, Tenn. and graduated from Burt High School in 1965. After high school, he attended Talladega College in Talladega, Ala. on an academic scholarship, where he became a top basketball star. Charlie pledged Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity while at Talladega, and he graduated in 1969.
Coach Ben Jobe of the Talladega’s men’s basketball team recruited Charlie to return to Talladega to become his assistant basketball coach. He later became the head coach of the team from 1974-1980. Elliott was the youngest coach in that area.
After a profound career of coaching, Charlie was offered a position with the City of Clarksville’s Parks and Recreation as director of Clarksville’s first Black community center, the Burt-Cobb Community Center. In this leadership role, he mentored numerous children, youth, young adults and adults through disciplined and organized activities. He contributed effective leadership to society to create unity among all nationalities. Eventually, Charlie was promoted to director of Parks and Recreation, where he served until his retirement in 2008.
In walking in the spirit of Burt High School, Charlie was the second elected president of the Historic Burt High School Reunion Association, serving two terms in leadership.
He was also a faithful member of St. Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, where he served in several different capacities. Charlie loved his church.
Charlie was united in holy matrimony to Janice Shelton on July 30, 2015. This marriage became a magnitude of love, commitment, trust, devotion and pride.
“But, there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.” Job 2:8.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Thomas Elliott; father, Joe T. Elliott Sr.; brothers, Joe T. Elliott, Jr., George Elliott and Donald Elliott, and sister, Pamela Vernon.
Remembering the steps of Charlie’s journey are his wife, Janice Everett Elliott; daughters, Dara Shawn Elliott, Nikki Charlese Elliott-Russell (Mel), Amber VanMansfeld and Ereka Elliott Clark (Charles); son, Eric Shelton (Quinika); sister, Gwendolyn Elliott Hale-Gunn (John); grandchildren, Layla Reese Clark, Jackson Charles Clark, Savannah Adara Goins, Jonathan Charles Goins, Donald Andrew Goins, Nicholas Handsel Graham, Immanuel Adam Poindexter, James Elliott-Wallace, Tailor Shelton, Danielle Golden, Blake Shelton, Yasmin Rathur, Alexandria Rathur and Preston VanMansfeld; cousin, Robert “Red” Warfield; two great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 17 at Burt Cobb Community Center. Masks are required. A livestream of the service can be viewed from the Foston Funeral Home Facebook page.