To describe Charlie in a word would be love. Charlie loved his family, friends, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He loved fiercely and persevered through hardships and judgment with grace. He always danced freely, pursued his passions, and shared his wicked sense of humor. Charlie brought joy to his family and friends and inspired all who knew him to be better. As his 3-year-old niece said about Charlie, “I loved how much he loved me.”
Charlie was a trailblazer. His education began at Hawthorne Elementary School just as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act took effect. He later attended Lefler Middle School and Villa Marie School. After graduating from Villa Marie, he attended the VOICE program through Lincoln Public Schools for vocational training where he excelled. Upon graduation, he was hired at the Hy Vee on 70th and Stacy Lane where he worked for nearly 10 years, earning Employee of the Month multiple times. You may have even seen his smiling face featured on a Hy-Vee semitruck as part of an advertisement campaign.
Throughout his life, Charlie faced many health issues beginning with being born 2 months early with Down Syndrome. He used sign language, a talking device and expression to communicate. In 2013, he battled West Nile Virus, which forced him to “retire” from work. His mom Sherry cared for him tirelessly throughout his life and was with him through every part of his journey. Through it all, he remained deeply connected to family and friends, active in the community and a fantastic friend, drawing strength from those relationships and giving love just as freely in return.
Charlie was an avid Husker fan, especially of the University of Nebraska Marching Band. He proudly wore Husker shirts daily and often rode his bike with his mom to Memorial Stadium just to watch the band warm up on game days. He loved semitrucks, motorcycles, drumming, bowling, golf, basketball, dancing, Disney movies, animals (especially horses), and games of all kinds. For Charlie, hobbies weren’t just activities, they were passions and ways to connect with the people he loved through shared experiences. If Charlie was on your team, you could not lose. He would cheer you on forever and champion your wins as if the Huskers had won the National Championship. A hug from Charlie after a loss fixed most things.
There is joy in the world and then there is the exuberance with which Charlie lived life. Above all else, Charlie cherished time with his family and friends. With his Dad, he played Special Olympics golf, drums, basketball and rode on his motorcycles. He helped his sisters learn dance choreography, cheered them on at volleyball games, and rode bikes around the neighborhood. He loved his sister’s dog Tess, walking her in LA neighborhoods. He would spend an afternoon with his brother-in-law Scott looking at airplanes at the Sac Aerospace Museum. In recent years, he watched his nephew Freddy play baseball and enthusiastically helped in pitching practice spending hours as the catcher (face mask, glove and all). Charlie looked forward to anytime with his niece Dorothy but especially the opportunity to play his favorite game with her, hide-and-seek.
His mom, Sherry was his constant rock. There are no words that can fully capture the depth of Charlie’s love for her. If he could, we imagine Charlie might quote the poet Andrea Gibson, “This world needs people who can find a tunnel with no light at the end of it and hold it up like a telescope to show that the darkness contains many truths that could bring the light to its knees”. That was Sherry—steadfast, loving, gentle, and unshakably present, able to show people Charlie’s light when others could not see it. In the last few years, they traveled often to Los Angeles and Iowa City to visit his sisters, but Charlie was always happiest being at home with his mom, sharing the kind of everyday moments that meant the most to him. Their bond was a fierce, joyful, enduring force in his life.
Charlie was high spirited, curious, playful, and an adventurer. He assiduously looked forward to events on his calendar, especially the next family birthday or holiday. Charlie checked off items on his bucket list, including a memorable trip to Disneyland in December 2024, rafting in Wisconsin, exploring the universe at Griffith Observatory and weekly bowling dates with his friend Jacob. He loved photos and would share these with family and friends, reliving the magic and the love.
If you knew Charlie, you knew he was a social and caring person, expressive even without speech, and with the purest of hearts. He loved unconditionally with acceptance and passion. While we mourn losing him so soon, we are all improved for having known him.
Thank you, WORLD, so much for Charlie. It was not long enough, but we were so lucky to have your love.
He is survived by his mother, Sherry Connett; his father and stepmother, Dave and Sonya Connett; his sisters, Deva Connett and Meghan Connett and husband Scott Sherman, his nephew, Freddy Sherman; and his niece, Dorothy Sherman.
Additional family include aunts and uncles: Susan Connett-Jerrison, Gina Connett and Jim Atkinson, Rhonda Connett, Amina Cassini, Jim and Connie Johnson, Laura and Steve Pittner; and his cousins: Abram Connett (Amy – Aden and Abigail), Simon Connett (Katherine – John, Henry and Miriam), Andrew Connett (Ashley), Krista Goldschen (Jeff – Braydon and Cameron) and Jeff Johnson, and stepgrandmother Diana Johnson and stepgrandfather Jim Heinsohn.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Dean and Vera Connett; Nancy Heinsohn and Bruce Johnson; and his uncles, Mark Connett and Gary Jerrison.
Memorial Service will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 28, 2026 at United Methodist Church, 4530 A Street, Lincoln, NE.
In true Charlie spirit, we kindly ask that in lieu of flowers, memorials honoring Charlie may be directed to Easterday Recreation Center Programming through the Lincoln Parks Foundation at: https://lincolnparks.org/donate/
Please designate “Sum Fun” or “Easterday Recreation Center” and include Charlie’s name in the memo.