Charles Ray Gant, Sr. 75 of Collinsville, and formerly of Sand Springs passed from this life on Friday, November 10, 2023, at his daughter's home in Collinsville with his family gathered around him.  Visitation will be on Wednesday, November 15th, with the family receiving friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. that day.

A funeral service to honor Charles' life will be at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, November 16th at Zion Community Church, formerly Glenwood Baptist Church, 5400 Charles Page Blvd, with Pastor Kujanga Jackson officiating.  Following the service, he will be laid to rest beside his wife, Carolyn, at Beggs Cemetery in Beggs OK.

One of four children born to Elgar Ray Gant and Willie Ruth Brown Gant, Charles was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on October 8, 1948. While he was still a child the family relocated to Tulsa where he attended Tulsa Public Schools and graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1967.  Carolyn June Gold and Charles were united in marriage on December 8, 1966, in Tulsa and had enjoyed 46 years of marriage prior to her death on February 1, 2013.   Charles started his occupational journey at Acme Wheel Alignment and later owned and operated his own business, Charley's Wheel Alignment on Charles Page Blvd.  During that time, he and Carolyn began pursuing higher education and graduated from Tulsa Community College and then pursued degrees at Langston University, where they both were awarded master's degrees in Rehabilitative Counseling. Charles was also awarded a Master' Degree in Teaching from Langston. Charles was able to be of help to many area people over the years in his role as a Rehabilitation Counselor with the State of Oklahoma until his retirement in 2020.

Preceding him in death were his father, Ray Gant, and two sisters, Alice Gant and Pam Gant and his daughter, Rachel Gant.

Charles is survived by his children, Mary Morris and husband Sean of Collinsville, Christina Gant Hitchcock and partner Derek Goleman of Tulsa, and Charles Ray Gant Jr. and wife Natalee of Tulsa.  He is also survived by his mother Willie Ruth Gant Hickey of Tulsa, his sister Mary Alma Anderson of Washington state, grandchildren Dean, Jaron, and Tabitha Hitchcock, Madeline and Zach Morris, Cody Ray, Hunter Reese, Ryder and Klohee Gant and great-grandchildren Peighton Rae and Grayson Hitchcock, and Liam Davis.