Community heroes touch lives and leave lasting impressions on the communities they serve. For the town of Rupert, a shining community light went out with the passing of Police Chief Chuck Burkhamer. This edition of Greenbrier County Hero of the Week is dedicated in memorandum to Chief Burkhamer and the legacy he left behind.
Burkhamer served the town of Rupert for many years. According to a public social media post he made earlier this year, when he joined the Rupert Police Department, they only had a small space for an office. After hard work and dedication from local leaders, they were able to upgrade the space and provide much-needed equipment.
The same post included the announcement that Burkhamer would be stepping down as Chief of Police as of Aug. 1, 2023. At the time, he was fighting stage 4 cancer in multiple areas of the body. He stated, “Trust me, I won’t go down without a fight.” Burkhamer first took on the terrible disease in 2016. He beat it then and again in 2020. Burhamer was indeed a fighter.
Always thinking of his town and the people he served, Burkhamer said, “The citizens of this town are second to none. When you need them, they always deliver. We have done many fundraisers, and they have always stepped up. We set out to get a few Christmas gifts for the kids and exceeded our challenge with not only gifts, but dinners to free to their families.”
Even though Burkhamer was dealing with so many things, he remained grateful. He said, “I want to thank God. None of us would be where we was without him. God is good all the time and is the greatest healer.”
Sadly, Burkamer lost his battle on Sept. 26, 2023. He leaves behind his wife, Jessica Burkhamer; children, Landon, Aeriale, Shylah and Thayden Burkhamer; stepchildren, Faith and Hope Lewis; and his police family.
Burkhamer’s wife, Jessica Burkhamer, said of her husband, “He loved his kids and job. He was an amazing man. He helped those who needed it and didn’t care that it took time away from his family; he loved serving the community.”
Jessica also wishes to thank everyone who donated to her husband’s cremation.
Burhamer’s family and the entire community mourn his loss. The entire team at The West Virginia Daily News expresses our deepest condolences. Thank you, Charles Burkhamer for being a community hero.
About The Greenbrier County Hero
Greenbrier County Hero is a weekly column highlighting interesting people living in Greenbrier County. The column was originally named “Meet a Greenbrier Countian” which ran in The West Virginia Daily News for multiple decades.
If you know of a person or organization that embodies the spirit of humanitarian service, volunteerism and/or has exceptional talent, please, let us know! Send your nominations to hero@wvdn.com.
