Charles E. Vanhuss
If a task needs to be done in the cities of Irvine or Ravenna, there is one man for the job, Charlie Vanhuss. He was born July, 1923 in Ravenna to Elijah Thomas and Fay McElroy Vanhuss. His family like so many others during the boom of the railroad moved to Estill County. His father worked on the L&N Railroad for 35 years after they migrated here from Lee County, Va., in 1918.
Charlie attended school at Ravenna Elementary and Irvine High School until he was forced to drop out in 1941 after the death of his father. Even though, he didn’t get to graduate with his class, that didn’t stop him from finishing high school. He returned and graduated from Irvine High in 1948.
Charles has committed a lot of time and energy for the betterment of Estill County. His 25 years as former Scoutmaster of Troop 144 has produced 43 Eagle Scouts, earning Charlie the Silver Beaver Award, scouting’s highest honor for distinguished service. He has been a member of the executive board of the Bluegrass Council Boy Scouts for 20 years and chairman of Council Camp operations for 10 years. Charles also helped organize the first Estill County Cub Pack of the Ravenna Christian Church in 1947. Church duties have also kept him busy being a church elder, Sunday School Teacher, board member and lay minister.
Another interest that drives Charles is politics. He served as a member of the Ravenna City Council from 1945 to 1954 and also served a Mayor Pro Tem during the destructive tornado of 1961 that struck Ravenna. He was made an Honorary Citizen of Ravenna for heroic actions during that time. Charles has been the Democratic party Chairman in Estill County and was inducted into the Permanent Roll of Honor of the Democratic National Committee in 1965.
Charles has many civic accomplishments to his credit including:
Legion of Honor member
Past President of Kiwanis with 40 years service
Organizer of the Chamber of Commerce in 1947
Organizer of Estill county Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1958
Organized the Ravenna Fire Department
Served on the state’s Social Services Advisory Board
A recurring columnist in the Citizen Voice and Times
Charles has been employed by the L&N Railroad Company, the Humble Oil Company of Houston, TX, and the Ravenna Drug Store over the past 46 years. He retired in 1991. Charles has always been an active figure in Estill County and continues to be a citizen that we respect and love for his willingness to lend a helping hand.
Charlie attended school at Ravenna Elementary and Irvine High School until he was forced to drop out in 1941 after the death of his father. Even though, he didn’t get to graduate with his class, that didn’t stop him from finishing high school. He returned and graduated from Irvine High in 1948.
Charles has committed a lot of time and energy for the betterment of Estill County. His 25 years as former Scoutmaster of Troop 144 has produced 43 Eagle Scouts, earning Charlie the Silver Beaver Award, scouting’s highest honor for distinguished service. He has been a member of the executive board of the Bluegrass Council Boy Scouts for 20 years and chairman of Council Camp operations for 10 years. Charles also helped organize the first Estill County Cub Pack of the Ravenna Christian Church in 1947. Church duties have also kept him busy being a church elder, Sunday School Teacher, board member and lay minister.
Another interest that drives Charles is politics. He served as a member of the Ravenna City Council from 1945 to 1954 and also served a Mayor Pro Tem during the destructive tornado of 1961 that struck Ravenna. He was made an Honorary Citizen of Ravenna for heroic actions during that time. Charles has been the Democratic party Chairman in Estill County and was inducted into the Permanent Roll of Honor of the Democratic National Committee in 1965.
Charles has many civic accomplishments to his credit including:
Legion of Honor member
Past President of Kiwanis with 40 years service
Organizer of the Chamber of Commerce in 1947
Organizer of Estill county Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1958
Organized the Ravenna Fire Department
Served on the state’s Social Services Advisory Board
A recurring columnist in the Citizen Voice and Times
Charles has been employed by the L&N Railroad Company, the Humble Oil Company of Houston, TX, and the Ravenna Drug Store over the past 46 years. He retired in 1991. Charles has always been an active figure in Estill County and continues to be a citizen that we respect and love for his willingness to lend a helping hand.