Charles “Buz” Rolfe

Charles “Buz” Rolfe, beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, friend, veteran, and respected banking leader, passed away on August 17, 2026. He lived a life marked by faith, family, service, leadership, and lasting friendships, leaving behind a legacy of devotion to those he loved and the communities he served.

Born on December 5, 1938, in Sherman, Texas, to Charles and Rhea Rolfe, Buz was the eldest of three children, followed by his brother, Jim, and his sister, Pat. His family spent time in Oklahoma and Austin before returning to Sherman, a place Buz fondly remembered as the perfect place to grow up during the “Fabulous 1950s.” He often recalled carefree summers spent exploring town by bicycle with his brother and pals from dawn until dusk.

Buz graduated from Sherman High School in 1957, where he played basketball, served as a class leader, and was a yell leader. He attended Austin College in Sherman for two years, playing basketball and joining the Drakes fraternity, before receiving an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. At West Point, he completed a rigorous four-year academic and military program, played NCAA-level basketball for the Army Black Knights, served as a Rabble Rouser, and graduated in June 1963 as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. In doing so, Buz joined “The Long Gray Line,” the enduring fellowship of West Point graduates who have gone on to serve their country with honor, duty, and devotion.

Shortly after graduation, Buz married Susan Lynn Shelburne, beginning a devoted partnership and a lifetime of shared adventure. The newlyweds set out in a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle for Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where Buz completed artillery training, and then to Fort Benning, Georgia, for U.S. Army Airborne School. His military service included duty at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where their children, Beau and Shelley, were born, followed by deployment to Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division, the “Screaming Eagles.” He later served at Fort Sill, in South Korea, and at Fort Hood, Texas, before resigning his commission as a Captain after seven years of active-duty service.

After his military career, Buz earned his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1972 and began a distinguished career in banking. He worked at Republic National Bank in downtown Dallas and attended the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU. Over the years, he held executive roles with Republic National Bank, Allied Lakewood Bank, Preston Forum, First National Bank in Athens, Canyon Creek National Bank in Richardson, and Texas Republic Bank in Frisco. In 2016, Sherman High School honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award.

Outside of his professional life, Buz enjoyed golf, reading, travel, and the deep bonds of friendship formed through West Point and beyond. He treasured annual golf trips with fellow West Point graduates, couples’ trips with the “West Point Business Associates,” family vacations in Colorado and Angel Fire, New Mexico, and many years of basketball in men’s and church leagues across North Texas. He also valued his weekly Bible study with a small group formed through Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas.

Above all, Buz was proudest of his family. He is survived by his wife, Susan Lynn Rolfe; his children, Beau Rolfe and Shelley Gleason; Beau’s wife, Debra; and his eight grandchildren: Suzanna Gleason, Ava Gleason, Grace Gleason, Jerry Gleason, Hannah Rolfe, Rachel Rolfe, Jack Rolfe, and Ryan Rolfe. He will be remembered for his steady leadership, his love of family, his faithful friendships, his patriotism, and the warmth and character he brought to every chapter of his life.

A memorial service for Buz will be held at First Baptist Church in McKinney, TX, on Monday, August 24, at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Buz’s memory to consider a donation to Alice Lloyd College, whose mission is to make college affordable for Appalachian students, or to St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota, two charities Buz faithfully supported.