Charles Kenneth Muse

Charles Kenneth Muse (September 9, 1934 – November 27, 2024)

Charles Muse was born September 9, 1934 to J. Kenneth and Agnes (Ayers) Muse in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In September of 1935, the family moved near McPherson, Kansas, where they operated a dairy farm. In August of 1945, they moved into McPherson, where Charles was in the 7th grade. In March of 1946, they moved to Marion, Kansas, where Charles graduated from high school in 1951. Charles had a sister, Jean, who was 2 years older than him. When Charles was 14, his younger brother, John Edward, died of pneumonia when he was nearly 2 years old. The oldest daughter in the family, Joyce, die when she was 2 days old.

Charles graduated from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas in 1955 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He participated in all the instrumental and choral groups while at Southwestern. During the school years of 1955-57, Charles was a music instructor in the Howard, Kansas schools. Charles married Anne Elaine Campbell on June 17, 1956. In June 1957, Charles was inducted into the United States Army. After being stationed in four different bases in south central United States, he spent 1 ½ years in the Medical Supply Section of the 14th Field Hospital in Bad Kreuznach, Germany. He was discharged from the Army in June of 1959. During the school years of 1959-61, Charles was a music instructor in the Cedar Vale, Kansas schools. The school years of 1961-66 were spent as music instructor in the public schools of Sterling, Kansas. In 1966, he received the Master of Music Education degree from Wichita State University. In 1966, Charles became a band director in the Shawnee Heights Schools near Topeka, Kansas. In 1967, he received the Certificate of Piano Technology from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. In 1969-71, Charles was employed half-time as an elementary band director for the Topeka Public Schools and worked half-time doing piano tuning and repair. In 1971 Charles retired from public school teaching and began working full-time as a piano technician. Charles was a member of the Highland Park United Methodist Church in Topeka, Kansas, where he was minister of music for many years, held several leadership positions, and was active on the softball team for many years. Charles retired from piano work in 2013 and moved to St. Louis.

Survivors include wife Anne Muse, daughter Marilyn (Brad) Short and son Roger (Donna) Muse, five grandchildren – Kaitlin Muse (John Coker), Renee (Tobias) Blomberg, Hayley Muse, AJ Short, and Hannah Muse, as well as two great-grandchildren – Axel Blomberg and Eva Blomberg.

Graveside service will be held at 10AM December 27, 2024, at Mount Hope Cemetery, 28700 W. 93rd St. North, Mount Hope, Kansas 67108.

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