Charles "Charlie" Van Sickle
January 9, 1936 ~ September 12, 2026
Born in:
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Resided in:
Candler, North Carolina
Asheville Butterfly TrailCharles “Charlie” Van Sickle, of Candler, North Carolina, passed away peacefully at home on September 12, 2026, at age 90. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Robert William and Ninabelle Ellen Van Sickle.
Charlie earned a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry from the University of Michigan, and a Master’s degree in Forestry Economics from Virginia Tech. He served in the U.S. Army during the Cold War. He spent most of his career with the U.S. Forest Service, ultimately serving as Assistant Director of the Southern Research Station in Asheville, NC.
He married Helen Ann Fasick on December 27, 1964. They shared 39 wonderful years together and raised two daughters, Page and Ruth. After Helen’s passing in 2003, Charlie was fortunate to find love again with Annie James, who he married before she passed away in 2021. He met Mitzi Oleinik in 2022 and they were devoted to each other until his death.
Charlie had a mind full of curiosity and loved learning, tinkering, and finding a good deal. He enjoyed shooting skeet, billiards, golf, bicycling, jogging, camping, and traveling. He collected clocks, pocket watches, fountain pens, and pocket knives.
He is survived by his daughters: Page Van Sickle and Ruth Van Sickle, grandchildren Devin, Sophie, and Helen, sister Janet, sons-in-law Eric and Bendik, and his beloved friend Mitzi.
Charlie was intelligent, kind, and thoughtful, deeply proud of his grandchildren, and truly one of a kind. He brought love, joy, and companionship to the lives of many. He was a very special man who will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
A Celebration of Charlie’s Life
November 15, 2026 • 2:00 p.m.
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit
433 Bone Camp Road
Marshall, NC 28753
Online streaming: [link to be added]
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that you consider a donation to an organization close to Charlie’s heart, such as The North Carolina Arboretum (https://ncarboretum.org/donate/) or the Arbor Day Foundation (https://www.arborday.org/).
Services
Celebration of Life: November 15, 2026 2:00 pm
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit
433 Bone Camp Rd.
Marshall, NC 28753
(828) 689-2517
Funeral Home Assisting The Family:
Groce Funeral Home - Patton Ave.
1401 Patton Ave.
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 252-3535
http://grocefuneralhome.com
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Safe home Uncle Charlie you will be missed.
Bobbie Sue
I knew Charlie Van Sickle through his work for the U.S. Forest Service, Southern Research Station in Asheville. As a scientist with the U.S. Forest Service, Charlie was played a key role in analyzing “mountains of data” on the health of our nation’s forests for Forest Inventory and Analysis for the first half of his career. When he moved to Asheville with his family, he became an Assistant Station Director (a manager of scientific programs) at the Southern Research Station. He managed research programs on economics, forestry, wildlife, soil science, hydrology, in North Carolina and South Carolina for the last half of his career. I became Charlie’s friend and alter ego, when I moved to Asheville in 1992 to serve as the other Research AD at the Southern Research Station. Other co-workers can speak to Charlie’s accomplishments before 1992, but to me, his greatest accomplishment was the Southern Appalachian Assessment, a 5-volume assessment of the status of natural and cultural resources in the 7-state region. Its goal was to provide the science to maintain a sustainable balance among biological diversity, economic uses, and cultural values in the Southern Appalachians. The SAA was a comprehensive ecological and regional study coordinated by the Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere (SAMAB) Cooperative to evaluate natural resources across political boundaries. Charlie led this effort over a 3-year period.
Part 2 of my Tribute to Charlie:
Charlie was my friend, most of all. He retired in about 1996, but he would come into the Station from time to time to check in on old friends and “see what’s up.” A group of the USFS retirees in the Asheville area had periodic lunches together. Charlie was a frequent attendee, first with Annie and later with Mitzi. My husband and I had lunch with Charlie and Mitzi in early August… so glad we did. I have shared the news of Charlie’s passing with my Forest Service retirees. Several of them said that they enjoyed “lunch with Charlie.” It was a time to get to know this man who was kind and gentle, but had a ferocious mind. One of them said: “When I think of Charlie, I always see his face either in pondering thought about something we were discussing or smiling–mostly smiling. I never saw him angry or mad or upset about anything. He was always so friendly and happy and shared that beautiful smile with everyone.” Rest in peace, dear Charlie. We will miss you, but think of you with a smile.
Charley was great friend who was dedicated to making a positive contribution to our Nation’s Forests Resources. I meet Charley in 1968 when I went to work for US Forest Service Station in New Orleans, Louisiana. Marty and I rented an apartment in Gretna, Louisiana across the Mississippi River from Station headquarters which turned out one block from where Charley lived so we got together socially and we carpooled together to work. This gave us a chance to share info on our past exercises. It turned out we both served in the US Army in Germany in 7th Corps at different times. Charley served in 7th Signal Corps while I was in the Artillery. It turned however that Charley worked on communication antenna for the unit which I was later assigned. We also talked about taking forest inventory plots. Charley worked on putting first generation forest inventory plots in the swamps of Louisiana which was challenging. We also went on fishing and hunting trips together and a couple interesting exercises.
Charley later and I were assigned to the same unit at US Forest Washington DC Office where we got work together again and our families got together socially. Charley assembled a shotgun and clock collections which he liked to share and we went weekly trap shooting.
Charley then got transfer to Portland Oregon and later Asheville, North
Carolina but we kept in touch and went on several trips together.
Charley was a great friend and will be missed.