Charles Samuel McLean, 66, known to most simply as Charlie, passed away peacefully on September 2, 2026, with his wife, Jodie, and family by his side. In the hours before his passing, Charlie was surrounded by what had always mattered most to him—his people.

Charlie was born March 25, 1960, in Lansing, Michigan, to Andrus B. McLean III and Annie M. (Mikesell) McLean.

He was a man who didn’t need much to be happy. His family, a good day’s work, time spent hunting or on the farm, and a seemingly endless supply of coffee were usually more than enough.

Charlie attended Charlotte High School, Class of ’78, and throughout his life became known for an unmatched work ethic. He worked hard not because he wanted recognition for it, but because that was simply who he was. His boys looked up to him for it, and the example he set is something they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

More than anything, Charlie loved his people. And at the center of his people was Jodie.

Charlie loved his wife deeply, and from the very first time he saw her, he knew she was the woman he wanted to marry. Through the years, the life they built together became what mattered most to him—their home, their children, their grandchildren, and eventually their great-grandchildren. Charlie didn’t need much from the world because, in so many ways, he already had what he wanted most.

His love for his family wasn’t something he needed to announce. You saw it in the way he worked for them, showed up for them, fixed what needed fixing, and made sure they knew they could always come to him. Jodie and his family were his world, and taking care of them was simply what Charlie did. Charlie didn’t waste much time worrying about things that weren’t important, and very little seemed capable of rattling him. When life got difficult, when someone didn’t know what to do, or when things simply felt like too much, Charlie usually had the same answer: “It’ll be alright.”

There was something different about hearing those words from him. Charlie didn’t say them because he didn’t understand the problem or because he thought everything was easy. He said them because he genuinely believed things could be figured out—and more often than not, he’d be right there beside you helping to figure them out. There wasn’t much Charlie couldn’t fix. If something was broken, he could usually find a way to make it work again. If there was a job that needed doing, he did it. And if someone needed his help, Charlie didn’t make them feel foolish for asking. There was no lecture and no need to turn it into a life lesson. He just helped.

Some of Charlie’s happiest moments were also some of the simplest. He loved farming alongside his brother Mike, and when winter came, there was wood to cut. For Charlie and his family, cutting wood became more than another job that needed to be done. It meant cold winter days spent working together, talking, laughing, and making memories.

Charlie also loved to hunt, although his family occasionally questioned whether he completely understood the assignment. They gave him a hard time because he had a habit of making friends with the very animals he was supposed to be hunting. Apparently, being a good hunter and being on friendly terms with the local wildlife weren’t mutually exclusive in Charlie’s mind.

Then there was the coffee—Folgers Black Silk, black. No cream, no sugar. Charlie could drink pot after pot of it. As simple and straightforward as it comes. A flannel shirt, a cup of coffee nearby, his quick wit, unmistakable laugh, a nickname for somebody, and one of his many “McLeanisms” were all unmistakably Charlie. His family will undoubtedly continue repeating those sayings, telling his stories, and laughing about the things he said for generations to come. And through so much of that life, Strange Highway was home—a place where family gathered, work was done, coffee was always brewing, and countless memories were made.

Charlie leaves behind his beloved wife, Jodie McLean, and their four children, Samantha McLean, Charles (Tara) McLean, Blake (Kasey Kazamer) McLean, and Kressa (Kenneth) McNett.

His legacy continues through his grandchildren, River and Lily Howe, Hayden and Landyn McLean, Barron McLean, and Dean and Emmett McNett; his step-grandchildren, Taryn (Paul) Kruger and Emily Vansplinter; and his great-grandchildren, Paul, Caroline, and Waylon Kruger.

Charlie is also survived by his siblings, from oldest to youngest, Annie Jo McLean, Andrea Ramey, Aimee Brooks, and Michael (Gwen) McLean; his sister-in-law, Janele (Chris) Rankin; and his father-in-law, Bruce (Tanya) Hicks.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrus B. McLean III and Annie M. (Mikesell) McLean, and his brother, Andrus B. McLean IV.

But Charlie’s legacy can’t really be captured by a list of names. It’s in the work ethic his children watched their dad live every day. It’s in hunting stories—and probably a few stories about the animals that managed to become friends instead. It’s in days spent farming with his brother Mike and cold winter days cutting wood with his family. It’s in a well-worn flannel, another pot of Folgers Black Silk being made, a nickname nobody else could get away with, a quick-witted remark at exactly the right moment, and a McLeanism that makes everyone laugh because they can still hear Charlie saying it. Most of all, it’s in the way his family will continue taking care of one another—because that’s what Charlie did.

He was the man you called when something broke. The man you called when you needed help. And the man who somehow had a way of making you believe things were going to be okay. Charlie spent his life showing his family what “It’ll be alright” really meant. And because of the life he lived and the people he loved, those words will always carry a little bit of Charlie with them.

Celebration of Life

Charlie’s family invites those who knew and loved him to join them for a Celebration of Life at their home on October 3, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.

In true Charlie fashion, there is no need to dress fancy. Wear your best flannel and come celebrate the life of Charlie. Bring your stories, your laughter, and your favorite memories of the man who meant so much to so many.