Charles “Chuck” Dailey, Jr., of South Haven was born May 28, 1939 in Lacota, Michigan to Charles Dailey Sr. and Arla Ruth (Maynard) Dailey. He was a graduate of South Haven High School in 1958 marrying Frances Bingham. The had three children, Chuck III, Kim, and Carol. Chuck attended Lake Michigan College for electrical engineering. After ten years of on-the-job training, he received his journeyman electrician certification card. Chuck also worked for Bohn Aluminum and Brass for fifteen years and was union bargaining committee chairman. However, his passion was blue berry farming which he started with his father in 1956.
Chuck started the blueberry farm with four cold frames of six hundred plants. This eventually became the three-hundred-acre blueberry farm of today. For twenty-five years, Chuck worked for the farm without pay, side by side with his parents. Dailey Packaging, a blueberry processing plant, was erected in 1980. Chuck became a board member of Michigan Blueberry Growers in 1978, vice-president in 1981 for seven years, and board president of MBG from 1989-1995. During the eighties and nineties, Virginia Johnson was by his side until her untimely death in 1997.
Chuck married Kathleen Haines in 2001. With Kathy by his side as secretary, a new 14,400 ft. Dailey Packaging plant was built to service Michigan Blueberry Growers customers. Besides the blueberry trade, Chuck enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling, kickboxing, and church activities. He was a former member of the Bangor Church of Christ and later of the First United Methodist Church. He has been President of the Trustees and a Sunday School teacher.
Preceding Chuck in death was his father, Charles Dailey Sr. (1978), and mother, Ruth Dailey (2002).
Surviving are his wife, Kathleen (Haines) Dailey, son Charles (C.J.) Dailey III, daughter Kim (Tim) Rawlings, and daughter Carol (David) Salvaggio, step-children, Brett Powis & Melanie Powis. Chuck has eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A service of remembrance and Masonic service will be held Sunday, May 28, 2017 at 2:00 PM at the First United Methodist Church of South Haven. Contributions may be made in Chuck’s memory to the First United Methodist Church, 429 Michigan Avenue, South Haven, Michigan 49090 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73123.