Charles "Charlie" Edward Vowell passed away on January 27, 2025, at home in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Charlie was born July 4, 1945, in Chattanooga, Tenn., to Joseph and Elizabeth (Venable) Vowell and joined his siblings, Roselie, Joe, and Kathleen. In 1951, the Vowell family moved to the Canal Zone in Panama, where Joseph Vowell was employed with the Panama Canal Railroad. The family lived on both sides of the isthmus. Charlie graduated from Cristobal High School in 1963. He was drafted into the Army and served for two years. Charlie received a machinist apprenticeship and worked at the Mariflores Power Plant with the Panama Canal Company. In 1974, Charlie married Jacque Crowell. After the treaty was signed, Charlie and Jacque moved to St. Johns, Arizona, where he worked as a master machinist at a coal-fired plant with the Salt River Project. His children, Casey and Kye, were born in Springerville, Arizona. Later, Charlie moved to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and worked with saltwater distillation at a local hotel. Eventually, Charlie bought a machine shop and spent the next 25 years creating unique parts for machines and boats in the area. He was very proud to have kept many vintage machines and engines fully operational and functioning. He sold his business and came back to the US when his health started to fail. He moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to be close to the Vowells living there. A big thank you to his sister-in-law, Gretta Vowell, for her support, she is appreciated for everything she did for Charlie. Son Kye cared for Charlie for the last six weeks of his life.

Charlie is survived by his children, Casey Vowell and Kye Vowell of Florida; sister-in-law, Gretta Vowell of Arkansas, Bonnie (Mike) Morrison, and Pamela Crowell of Florida; nieces Amy Vowell, Alison Vowell of Arkansas, Cassie Danger of Florida; nephew Thomas Garcia of Florida; and former wife, Jacque Vowell.

Charlie's ashes will be scattered in Arkansas, Panama, and St. Thomas at a later date. Charlie was a member of the Panama Canal Society.