Charles Partin

Artist and Musician Charles Sharrod “Buster” Partin lll, 80, of Steele City, Nebraska, died on December 15, 2023.Mr. Partin was a fifth-generation Floridian born in Marianna, Florida, in 1943 to Dr. Melba Partin and Dr. Charles Partin, Jr. He spent his formative years in Graceville, Marianna, and Starke and graduated from Pensacola High School, Florida in 1961. During his youth in these locations, Mr. Partin discovered his passion for the arts and music. Frustrated by the lack of local musical options as a teenager in the Deep South, Mr. Partin violated Jim Crow Segregation by being arrested on several occasions for sneaking into and ingratiating himself into the segregated jazz and blues bars as a teenager that began his lifelong love of music. Following high school, Mr. Partin started his education at Stetson University but dropped out and hitchhiked across the country to California to join the Keruac Beatnik movement. After a brief stint in CA, Mr Partin joined the National Guard and moved back to Florida to attend college. He received his B.F.A. in Sculpture at Florida State University. He studied with Bauhaus-trained sculptor Frederich Holschou and received a minor in Art History and a D.I.S. in Figure Studies. He then spent five more years at the University of Florida, heavily influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright and studying under his proteges, and received his B.A. in Architecture in 1971. Mr. Partin brought his enthusiasm for the arts and culture to Pasco County as one of the area’s only architects in 1974. He opened his first office in Holiday and later moved the office in an attempt to spur the revitalization of downtown New Port Richey in 1980. Mr. Partin’s contribution to the landscape of Pasco can be seen in his design of St. Ignatius Church in Tarpon Springs, Our Lady Queen of Peace in New Port Richey, and St. Michaels Church in Hudson, FL. He also designed many of the county’s post offices, schools, churches, and residences. For over 25 years, Charles Partin Architects was a successful firm of artists, draftsmen, and designers that produced award-winning designs for schools, homes, office buildings, and over 50 church projects. As a charter member, he helped form The Pasco County Arts Council and served on their board of directors for over 30 years. At various times he served on the board of directors of: Pasco County Boys and Girls Club, Pasco County Association for Retarded Citizens, Pasco County Code Enforcement Board, City of New Port Richey Code Enforcement Board, Steering committee for the Pasco County Comprehensive Plan, Pasco County American Cancer Society, Advisory Board the Pasco County Southeast Bank and the Pasco County Food Bank. He retired in 1995 to focus on large-scale public art projects. He created several large-scale brick murals for the University of Florida, Hillsborough County Extension Service, Lutz Public Library, Sivananda Yoga Ashram Quebec, and sculptural tributes to fallen firefighters and veterans for private collections, as well as the large-scale “Mangrove Moonlight” sculpture in downtown New Port Richey’s Cavalier Square. He continued his sculpture work into his later years and traveled as an artist in galleries, art shows, and competitions for the past 50 years. He settled in Steele City, Nebraska in the early 2000’s and, for the past several years, has played as a musician as a part of the band Drunk Monkey and was affectionally known as a “Bongo Charlie” to legions of friends in his adopted state of Nebraska. He is pre-deceased in death by his parents, Charles and Melba Partin and former wife Mary Keating Partin. He is survived by daughters Heather Partin Keating and Jill Partin Selewach (Jeff). Grandchildren: Zoe Silvia, Mariella Silvia, Jack Wilkins, and Jensen Wilkins. Cousins Joyce Wethington, Second Cousin Steve Wethington, and his Bubba-son, Shawn Cole. He is also survived by his former wife, Maryann Lewis Partin, many step-children, and legions of kids, teens, and adults who considered him a great mentor and a dear friend. A celebration of life will be planned in the Spring in Steele City, Nebraska.

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