Charles Lee Mansfield

Charles Lee Mansfield, 81, died at home on November 14, 2020, after a years-long battle with cancer. Charlie was born in Clinton, Missouri on November 9, 1939, to Vivian Hull Mansfield and Charles Francis Mansfield. His older brother John and younger brother Terry both predeceased him.

Growing up in Clinton, Charlie was active in athletics and was an Eagle Scout. He was the first member of his family to attend college when he went on to Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas on an athletic scholarship. He lettered all four years in football and was selected to the all-conference team three times. He was a two-year letterman in basketball and a member of the Zeta Chi Fraternity.

Charlie’s first job after leaving Baker was in Oswego, KS, where his future wife, Sylvia Waxse, just happened to be living at the time. Charlie coached football, basketball, and track at Oswego High School from 1961-1963 where he coached his future brother-in-law and led the football team to a league title and the track team to league titles in 1962 and 63. While at Oswego, Charlie was working on his Master’s in Education from the University of Kansas. He earned this degree in 1963 and moved to Claflin, KS where he coached football, basketball, and track at the high school. Charlie moved back to Baldwin City, KS in 1965 to take a job as principal at Baldwin High School. In addition to his administrative duties he also taught classes and coached football, basketball, and track. He returned to Baker University in 1966 and spent the next nine years as the head basketball and assistant football coach. He also coached track and baseball for a short time. He became reacquainted with Sylvia after visiting his father at KU Medical Center where she was the nurse taking care of him. They were married at the Methodist Church in Baldwin City on March 25, 1972. Their first son Adam was born in 1974 and their daughter Megan was born in 1975. In 1975 the family moved to Cheney, KS where Charlie was the high school principal. In 1977 their third child, Mark, was born. They then moved to Garnett, KS, where Charlie was the high school principal from 1979-1980, the assistant superintendent from 1980-82, and superintendent from 1982-1991. He took the superintendent’s job in Clay Center, KS in 1991 and remained there until he retired in 2000. After retirement he worked for a year as principal at Valley Heights and continued to work part-time for the Greenbush Educational Cooperative and K-State. He was proud to be inducted into the Baker Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.

Charlie loved the outdoors and spent many happy moments on the golf course or hunting with good friends and one of his good dogs. He took up running in later years achieving age group wins in several 5K’s even while battling cancer. He was a kind and devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Sylvia Waxse Mansfield, by their three children, Adam (Anne), Megan (Christer), and Mark, and by his grandchildren, Hadlee, Ellie, Louis, and Zachary.

A celebration of life will be held in the spring. Memorial gifts can be made to the Charlie Mansfield Memorial Scholarship at Baker University, online https://www.bakeru.edu/forever-orange-home/give-now/ or via check to Baker University, P.O. Box 65, Baldwin City, Kansas 66006. Online condolences can be made at www.lamb-roberts.com.

***** Update for services can be found below:

Burial for Charlie, Sylvia, and Mark will be Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. at Oakwood Cemetery in Baldwin City, KS, followed by a Celebration of Life at the Baldwin City Beer Company, 520 High Street, Baldwin City, KS 66006.

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