Mr. Charles “Charlie” Haskell, age 89, of Switzerland County, Indiana, was born on October 26, 1933, the only child to the parents of, Charles W. and Leo S. (Aldred) Haskell. Charlie grew up on the family farm at the top of Vevay hill milking cows and raising sheep, hogs, chickens, beef cattle, horses and tobacco. Charlie graduated from Vevay High School, class of 1951. The family purchased their first tractor in 1944, noting that they had to get a permit from the AAA Office to own the equipment. Charlie was united in marriage on July 12, 1952 to Betty Jane Stow at the East Enterprise United Methodist Church. This union of nearly 47 years was blessed with four children, Jane, Amy, John and Eddie. The Haskell Farm was truly a family run farm. Charlie started with 12 milking cows and four 10-gallon milk cans in 1951; and finished with 110 cows and a 1,500-gallon bulk tank. Mr. Haskell milked cows by hand until 1953. He then purchased pail milkers, which involved a 48-pound can being hung underneath the cow’s stomach as electric pulses extracted the milk. In the late 1950s, Charlie installed a pipe line and a bulk tank, with the first tank holding 250-gallons. He then built his milking parlor in 1982, as prior to that he milked on a level floor; and with the new facility he saw the implementation of computers that fed the cows and kept records; automated take off on the milkers; and a line that allowed the family to milk 12 cows at one time. The Haskell dairy farm gained international notoriety when a group of Russians came to Switzerland County to visit the farm. As communism began to fall, Russian officials were interested in how a true “family farm” worked, so a group of diplomats traveled to Switzerland County to see the farm first hand. The farm was also featured in the Dairy Illustrated magazine; and a calf from the farm was used in the filming of “A Girl Named Sooner.” As the Haskell children grew up and headed off to their own careers, Charlie and Betty Haskell retired and sold the dairy herd in April of 1996. They remained on the family farm until Betty passed away from cancer on February 24, 1999. Charlie was later united in marriage to Doris Faye Cardwell on October 28, 2000 at the Switzerland Baptist Church. Charlie and Doris settled into retirement life on Nell Lee Road in Fairview. Doris passed away on November 21, 2010. Charlie was a former county commissioner from 1997-2000. He also served on the Switzerland County Soil and Water Conservation board. Charlie was awarded the Silver Star Farmer of the Year on March 16, 2007. Charlie enjoyed traveling and planning trips. He also enjoyed eating and always looked forward to his next meal. By popular demand, family and friends always looked forward to the “Phone calls with John and Chuck” edition. If you knew Chuck, you knew he was a talker. Charlie passed away at 3:29 p.m., Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at the Swiss Villa Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Vevay, Indiana.
Charlie is survived by his daughters, Jane Garland and her husband, Benny of Rising Sun, IN and Amy McGowen and her husband, Jeff of Fort Worth, TX; his sons, John Haskell and his wife, Candis of Vevay, IN and Eddie Haskell and his wife, Angie of Bennington, IN; his grandchildren, Michael (Heather) Garland, Nathan Garland, Andy (Elyssa) Haskell, Neal (Mallory) Haskell, Jacob (Sammi) Haskell, Luke (Casey) Haskell, Lauren Haskell, Abigail (Bayham) Avery and Collin McGowen, Angelique (Adam) Combs, Carrie Truax, Stacey (Joe) Smith, Chad (Elainna) Truax; his great-grandchildren, Aidan, Keenan, Hunter, Isabella, Casen, Carter, Ashlynn, Eli, Aria, Sebastian, Maggie, Isla, Addyson, Haven, Miya, Matthew, Justin, Jordan, Jason, Alex, Emma, Lily, Sully, Silas, Jachoby and Marielee.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles W. Haskell, died June 3, 1973; his mother, Leo S. (Aldred) Haskell, died January 11, 1986; his wife, Betty Jane (Stow) Haskell, died February 24, 1999 and his 2nd wife, Doris Faye Cardwell, died November 21, 2010.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 31, 2023, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 1, 2023, by Pastor Mike Barnes, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Interment will follow in the Vevay Cemetery, Vevay, Indiana
Memorial contributions may be made to the Union Baptist Church. Cards are available at the funeral home or online at www.haskellandmorrison.com