Charles "Bud" Allen Caringer

Charles Allen (Bud) Caringer of Caringer Farms passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on April 1, 2025 at the age of 87.  Bud was born May 19, 1937, the fourth child of Alton William (Bill) and Ina Brown Caringer. 

And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker."

So God made a farmer.

The farmer who is willing to rise before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper and go to town for a community meeting.

The farmer who is resilient, passionate, and patient, someone who can clear trees, heave bales, care for calves and piglets, tame cantankerous machinery, while working diligently to seed, weed, feed, breed and rake and disc and plow and plant.

The farmer who, planting time and harvest season, finishes a forty-hour week by Tuesday noon, and then puts in another seventy-two hours.  –Paul Harvey

From a very young age, Bud loved tractors. During his lifetime, he would spend endless  hours using tractors, plows, harrows, seeders, planters, harvesters, balers, and fertilizer spreaders to  prepare the land, plant crops, and harvest them.  He was also a successful cattle and hog farmer and iron worker. Bud thoroughly enjoyed working with his horses and mules, hunting trips to Colorado, and he always had a favorite dog as a trusted companion. In his later years, he loved the time that was spent with his children and grandchildren.

His love of Caringer Farms was evident in the life he lived.

Those who remain blessed by his life are, his love of 42 years, Shirley Crabtree; his children, Nancy Loughary, Lynda (Bill Marshall), Tony Caringer; his grandchildren, Meghann, Tony JR (Bree), Travis, Sam (Brooke); his great-grandchildren, Lily. Kinsley, Alton; extended family and friends.

Bud was preceded in death by his parents, Alton (Bill) and Ina Caringer; siblings, Marie Bay, Billie Manion, Ina Mae Groves, and Andy Caringer.

2 Timothy 2:6

“And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.”

A visitation was from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2025 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO.

A Celebration of Life was held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2025 with Deacon Chad Lewis officiating. Special music of "Down to the River to Pray" and "I'll Fly Away" was played. Readings were done by Joanie McEnaney and Sam Marshall.

The Caringer Family was served by the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of Steelville, MO.

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