New independent living resident practiced law and enjoyed investing

He still has a few boxes to unpack, but Charlie Hoke is settling into his new home in Independent Living at the Westerly.

“Everybody is friendly as heck,” said Charlie, who moved into his new apartment in April.

Charlie was born in Garden City, but his family moved to Prairie Village, Kan., when he was 3. He grew up in the Kansas City area and earned a law degree at the University of Kansas before moving to Wichita.

In the 1970s, Charlie was active in politics. He was involved with the campaigns of Representative Dan Glickman and Governor John Carlin. In 1980, he served as a delegate to the Democratic Convention in New York.

It was the same year Charlie married his late wife, Carroll Anne, after a whirlwind four-month romance. The couple met at Bulls and Bears, a onetime downtown bar. They were married for 27 years.

“My first reaction to Carroll Anne is that this woman was full of life,” Charlie recalled.

Carroll Anne had a teenage daughter, Etienne, whom Charlie adopted.

Charlie was a lawyer, and Carroll Anne worked as a legal secretary for her father, who was also a lawyer. After she and Charlie wed, she went back to school at the age of 40. She went on to practice law for a nonprofit legal aid organization that served low-income Kansans.

In his free time, Charlie got involved in an investing club. Investments are still something he’s interested in, and he said he would join an investing group at Presbyterian Manor if there were one available.

After they retired, the Hokes enjoyed reading and watching British mystery shows such as “Midsomer Murders.” They also spent time traveling, which included visiting Etienne and her husband and their three children, Andrew, Graham and Emma.

Etienne and other family members helped Charlie make the transition to Presbyterian Manor.

“They all worked their tails off,” he said.