'Charlie' Yingling Remembered for His Dedication to RS Community

The Borough of Roaring Spring is mourning the loss of a man who dedicated his life to helping others.

Charles F. Yingling, 85, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 14, following a brief battle with cancer.

Born in East Freedom in 1934, Yingling embarked on a life of service to others, beginning with his first job delivering newspapers and ending doing what he called his passion, preparing taxes.

In between, he served in the United States Army and was a lay minister for various churches throughout the Cove. He was a member of the Jaffa Shrine as well as district governor for Lions International.

In 1964, Yingling became borough secretary for Roaring Spring, and after retiring in 1990, he served a term on borough council.

Long-time borough Maintenance Supervisor Dane Noel said Yingling's dedication to the borough didn't end with his retirement, and he was always willing to help when called.

"If you needed to know anything about the borough, Charlie was the guy you went to," Noel said. "I've called him many times when I wasn't sure about something and he could show me what I needed right away."

Noel said Yingling knew "every inch" of the borough and made sure employees had what they needed to keep things running smoothly.

"He made sure everything would run right," Noel said. "He treated everybody like a friend."

Borough Manager Lisa Peel has known Yingling since she was a child, and said he was always someone she could look up to.

As a little girl, Peel would walk the family's water bill down to the borough office where Yingling would be sitting with his feet on the desk and a newspaper in his hand.

"He would peek around the paper and say, 'put it on the counter, girl, and you go straight home.' He was just that kind of guy," she said.

When Peel became Roaring Spring's borough manager earlier this year, she said Yingling offered her his support.

"We had a phone conversation when I was named borough manager," Peel said. "He never expected it, but was happy for me."

Peel said Yingling's demeanor set the tone for those who followed him in borough service.

"Charlie was a guiding force in how the town is run," she said.

Noel said Yingling's knowledge of town history often led to some lengthy conversations and that he always learned something new from them.

"Charlie liked to reminisce a lot," Noel said. "If I went to see him, I never knew how long I'd be. He loved to reminisce about the past."

While Yingling was working for the borough, he would prepare tax returns on the side, an occupation he continued to do after he retired.

"I think doing taxes was his real love," Noel said.

Peel said Yingling never stopped working to help people and the community.

"I talked to him about a week ago and he was working on getting a new refrigerator for the food bank," she said. "He never slowed down. He never stopped caring."

Peel said Yingling was someone she has always looked up to, and is proud to have followed him in service to the borough.

"He was like a mentor to me," she said.

Noel said he will remember Yingling as someone who was easy to talk to and was always willing to help.

"Charlie was easy to work with," he said. "He was always patient and could talk to anyone. You were never afraid to go to Charlie with an issue."

Yingling is survived by his wife, Mona, a son, Barry, and a daughter, Brenda.

(See obituary on this website.)