Cynthia Osorio
Charles Thomas Beeler
Charles Thomas BEELER was born on February 17, 1912 in Okalona, Jefferson County, Kentucky to Addie Bell BEELER Sr. and Sherman BEELER. He attended Lincoln Grammar School in Louisville, and graduated from 8th grade at South Park in Okalona (Now Julius Rosenwald School).
Charles attended Bethel Temple with his
mother, his sisters and brother from his youth until 1947, under Bishop David Shultz. Charles was baptized in Jesus' name in 1929 and he received the Holy Spirit on January 01, 1931. He became a deacon in the church, he sang in the gospel quartet, he played the piano, the organ, and the guitar.
Charles worked at American Radiator Standard Sanitary in Louisville as a sweeper and sand mixer. During World War II, he worked at the Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot.
On May 03, 1934 Charles married Ruby Lee Robertson (daughter of Albert Boddie and Anna Bell Mitchell) at Bethel Temple in Louisville, Kentucky and had 12
children: Addie Bell, Charlotte, Charles, John, Grace, Evelyn, Esther, Sherman, Louis, Ruby, Samuel, and Sarah.
The BEELER family attended Bethel Temple together until they moved to Detroit in 1947. Their son, John, died on March 04, 1951 in Detroit.
In Detroit, Charles and Ruby attended Clinton Street Greater Bethlehem Temple under Bishop Samuel Nathan Hancock, founder of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith. Charles was a deacon at Greater Bethlehem Temple until 1954 and was a pallbearer at Bishop Hancock's funeral.
In 1955 Charles and Ruby moved to Holly, Michigan, and rented a farm at 1611 Davisburg Road from Mr. Byrd.
In 1960, Charles and Ruby founded Bethlehem Temple #4, P.C.A.F. The church members met in a tent that was erected in the field near their home.
In the 1960's, Charles and Ruby moved to the 50 acre farm at 1000 Davisburg Road, which they rented from Gloria Greer of Detroit. For many years, church services were held in their living room on the farm. By the 1970's, the church had begun meeting at the Springfield Township Hall in Davisburg, Michigan. Mother Beeler (Ruby) pastored the church until 1978, when she turned the pastorship over to her husband, Charles. At that time, the congregation voted to incorporate independently, changing the name of the church from Bethlehem Temple #4, P.C.A.F. to "Holly Apostolic Church", and Deacon Charles BEELER was elected Bishop. In 1979, the congregation purchased the historic Baptist church building at 400 S. Saginaw Street in Holly, Michigan. Bishop and Mother BEELER soon after moved into private quarters in the church building.
Mother Beeler suffered several strokes in the late 1980s and was confined to a wheelchair for the remaining years of her life. She died on January 22, 1998. Her funeral was held at Holly Apostolic Church. The funeral arrangements were provided by Driers funeral home of Holly, MI. About three hundred family members and friends attended her funeral. Mother Ruby BEELER was buried at Rose Center Cementary in Rose Center Township, Michigan.
Charles and Ruby's eighth child, Sherman Albert BEELER became assistant pastor of Holly Apostolic Church in November 1992 and he became pastor in 2007, and then he became the Bishop of Holly Apostolic after his father, Bishop Charles, passsed away in 2013.
Bishop Charles BEELER never remarried after his wife died. He remained close to many of his children and family members who helped take care of him in his later
years. He lived to be 100 years old. Bishop Charles also remained dedicated to the church, attending every Sunday, without fail until his death on January 22, 2013, exactly 15 years after his wife, Ruby, passed away.
Charles attended Bethel Temple with his
mother, his sisters and brother from his youth until 1947, under Bishop David Shultz. Charles was baptized in Jesus' name in 1929 and he received the Holy Spirit on January 01, 1931. He became a deacon in the church, he sang in the gospel quartet, he played the piano, the organ, and the guitar.
Charles worked at American Radiator Standard Sanitary in Louisville as a sweeper and sand mixer. During World War II, he worked at the Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot.
On May 03, 1934 Charles married Ruby Lee Robertson (daughter of Albert Boddie and Anna Bell Mitchell) at Bethel Temple in Louisville, Kentucky and had 12
children: Addie Bell, Charlotte, Charles, John, Grace, Evelyn, Esther, Sherman, Louis, Ruby, Samuel, and Sarah.
The BEELER family attended Bethel Temple together until they moved to Detroit in 1947. Their son, John, died on March 04, 1951 in Detroit.
In Detroit, Charles and Ruby attended Clinton Street Greater Bethlehem Temple under Bishop Samuel Nathan Hancock, founder of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith. Charles was a deacon at Greater Bethlehem Temple until 1954 and was a pallbearer at Bishop Hancock's funeral.
In 1955 Charles and Ruby moved to Holly, Michigan, and rented a farm at 1611 Davisburg Road from Mr. Byrd.
In 1960, Charles and Ruby founded Bethlehem Temple #4, P.C.A.F. The church members met in a tent that was erected in the field near their home.
In the 1960's, Charles and Ruby moved to the 50 acre farm at 1000 Davisburg Road, which they rented from Gloria Greer of Detroit. For many years, church services were held in their living room on the farm. By the 1970's, the church had begun meeting at the Springfield Township Hall in Davisburg, Michigan. Mother Beeler (Ruby) pastored the church until 1978, when she turned the pastorship over to her husband, Charles. At that time, the congregation voted to incorporate independently, changing the name of the church from Bethlehem Temple #4, P.C.A.F. to "Holly Apostolic Church", and Deacon Charles BEELER was elected Bishop. In 1979, the congregation purchased the historic Baptist church building at 400 S. Saginaw Street in Holly, Michigan. Bishop and Mother BEELER soon after moved into private quarters in the church building.
Mother Beeler suffered several strokes in the late 1980s and was confined to a wheelchair for the remaining years of her life. She died on January 22, 1998. Her funeral was held at Holly Apostolic Church. The funeral arrangements were provided by Driers funeral home of Holly, MI. About three hundred family members and friends attended her funeral. Mother Ruby BEELER was buried at Rose Center Cementary in Rose Center Township, Michigan.
Charles and Ruby's eighth child, Sherman Albert BEELER became assistant pastor of Holly Apostolic Church in November 1992 and he became pastor in 2007, and then he became the Bishop of Holly Apostolic after his father, Bishop Charles, passsed away in 2013.
Bishop Charles BEELER never remarried after his wife died. He remained close to many of his children and family members who helped take care of him in his later
years. He lived to be 100 years old. Bishop Charles also remained dedicated to the church, attending every Sunday, without fail until his death on January 22, 2013, exactly 15 years after his wife, Ruby, passed away.
Date & Place:
at Bethel Temple in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky United States
