Charley Packard, 75
We all lost a treasure on Feb. 16, 2017, when Charley Packard, renowned local singer, songwriter and minister, A.K.A. Charles Dennis Harris, passed away at age 75.
Charley was an integral part of many communities in Sandpoint, Idaho; playing with and inspiring countless musicians, marrying over 1.700 couples as “The Reverend Charley Packard,” helping and encouraging those in recovery, coaching Little League baseball, guiding and assisting people in drug court, studying “A Course in Miracles,” and serving as a volunteer chaplain for Bonner Community Hospice.
He is survived by his significant other, Karen Bowers; three sons, Jesse Harris, James “Buck” Harris, and Mason Allison; six grandchildren; three sisters, Theresa Coolidge, Debbie Kolberg and Jackie Shy; two brothers, Charlie Turner and Max Turner. In addition to his dear family, Charley is remembered by hundreds of beloved friends and fans.
Charley was born on Dec. 1, 1941, in Riverside, Cali-fornia, to Jack and Deniena Harris. He grew up in Okla-homa and Kansas, where he attended the University of Kanas, earning his degree in anthropology.
As a child, Charley would sit at the piano singing “Jesus songs” with his grandmother, developing an early love of music. His father took his G.I. Bill and together they went to a music conservatory in Houston, Texas. He spent hours hanging around the musicians, discovering melody, harmony, and the camaraderie that occurs when folks share song; the lifestyle appealed to a young Charley.
He relocated to the Laguna Beach and Costa Mesa areas as a teenager to pursue his music career in earnest as a singer/songwriter; there was something special happening in the 1960s and Charley wanted to be a part of it. With his band, Charley D. & Milo, they recorded with Epic Records and had an album that spent two years on the Top Ten list from 1970-1972, self-described as “metaphysical folk rock.”
There were some wild years where Charley was a “rascal,” but after awhile the hard living began to lose its appeal. Charley married Colleen Buckmaster on Dec. 4, 1971, and in 1978 they relocated to Sandpoint to raise a family. Charley and Colleen spent 40 years together until her death in 2010. Charley got sober over 20 years ago and has been committed to supporting many others on their own journey toward sobriety.
Though he left Hollywood, music never stopped being a huge part of Charley’s life. He’s written nearly 1,000 original songs and shared the stage with renowned artists such as Willie Nelson, John Prine, Arlo Guthrie, Jerry Jeff Walker, Clint Black, and Asleep at the Wheel. He hosted and played live music around town in places like Kamloops, Bugatti’s, and Eichardt’s, and over the years, he became a respected staple in the Sandpoint music scene. Charley spent over 50 years playing music, and considered himself a poet first of all.
Charley has officiated a colorful assortment of weddings, ranging from blizzards atop Schweitzer to fancy lakeside affairs, but his first gig was for Ted and Karen Bowers in 1979. He became long-time friends with them both, and in 2012, he and Karen fell in love. They got five years together, and enjoyed traveling to Hawaii and Mexico. In 2014, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and battled courageously with it for over three years.
Memorial donations may be made to the family at 613 N. Third Ave, or to Bonner Community Hospice, 520 N Third Ave. Please visit Charley’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.
A memorial celebration will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the Panida Theater. A “summer celebration” will be announced at a later date.