Charles E. Lofgren, age 84, died May 21, 2014 at his home in Miami following a brief illness.  He was born on December 15, 1929 in Moose Lake, MN, the third child of Nannie (Johnson) and Elmer Lofgren.  During the first years of his life his family lived on the farm homesteaded by his grandparents, Erik and Sofia Lofgren on Pickerel (Echo) Lake, the current site of Moose Lake State Park.  

He remembered how his energetic curiosity once annoyed a cow with a powerful kick - an adventure that landed him in bed for six weeks with a broken leg.  This didn’t stop his passion for animal husbandry, however, which shaped his education and career. Following graduation from Moose Lake High School in 1947, and military service, he obtained both his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agriculture from the University of Minnesota. He started his career as an “Ag School” teacher in Morris, Minnesota.  He was then hired by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in Terre Haute, Indiana.  While living there, he got his pilot’s license, bought a plane and would fly home to Minnesota for vacations.  

During the span of his 32 year career with Pfizer, he lived in Beirut, Rome, Tokyo, Madrid, Miami and New York, ultimately becoming Vice President in Marketing, Animal Pharmaceutical Division for South America.  In 1993, he started the Charles E. Lofgren Scholarship at his alma mater available to students enrolled in the UM’s College of Food and Agricultural Science & Natural Resources (CFANS) who are pursuing a career in one of those fields.  He got to know these students with the devotion and interest of a favorite uncle, delighted to hear about their lives long after they graduated.  Charlie never officially retired from his active work life. As recently as this year, he was consulting, lending his experience and investing in small businesses primarily in fields of agriculture, veterinary services and natural resources.

A philanthropist through and through, Charlie was also a strong supporter of the United Way in Miami, particularly following the devastation of Hurricane Andrew.  But what most people will remember about Charlie was his colorful personality.  He had a knack for being able to talk to anyone about anything, cultivating lifelong friends throughout the world.  He was bright, energetic, fun and generous.  Mention his name and listen as people chuckle and tell a “Charlie story.” The world will seem quieter, tidier and sadly more predictable without Charlie and his often present baseball cap.
  
Charles was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Lloyd Lofgren, his sister, Helen Hanson and brother-in-law Bob Hanson, and his nephew John Lofgren.  He is survived by his sister Audrey Brose, her husband Harlan, of East Hartland, CT, sister-in-law Delores Lofgren (Stewartville, MN), his aunt Doris Johnson (Bloomington, MN), his nieces, nephews, cousins.  Other survivors are his scholarship fund “adoptees,” and numerous friends/colleagues. The family would like to thank two devoted friends in particular, John and Carol Honeycutt of Miami, for all of their help during this difficult time. 

Memorial services are pending, possibly in early July, in Moose Lake, MN during the time when Charlie had planned to “be home” to attend his high school reunion and the annual 4th of July Parade.  Christian burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Barnum, MN.  Memorials are preferred to: The Lofgren Undergraduate Honor Award (University of Minnesota Foundation, CM-3854, PO Box 70870, St. Paul, MN  55170) or  United Way of Miami-Dade (3250 S.W. 3rd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33129, Attention: Carlos Molina)."