Family of couple killed in Evansville house explosion said sudden loss 'is hitting hard'

EVANSVILLE − Wednesday was supposed to be a fun day for brothers Steve and Charlie Hite.

During the noon hour, Steve, the equipment manager for Harrison High School’s football team, drove to pick up Charlie and head to the school. Both are part of the Harrison football family; Steve in his paid role and Charlie as a volunteer performing various tasks for the Warriors, such as shooting video and handing out equipment.

The Warriors had obtained new headsets and equipment for the upcoming season, so the Hites’ plan on Wednesday was to do set-up work in advance of Harrison’s scrimmage Friday against South Spencer.

More:Charlie and Martina Hite, killed in Evansville explosion, were always 'better together'

Steve was about 5 minutes from his brother’s North Weinbach Avenue house when, one minute before 1 p.m., Charlie's home inexplicably exploded, sending debris hurtling into the air and damaging a total of 39 homes.

Charlie, 43, and his wife, 37-year-old Martina were inside. Both were killed. They were two of the three people who have died as a result of Wednesday's explosion. The third was Jessica Teague, 29. She was in a neighboring home.

Steve Hite’s son, Aaron Hite, said his father is devastated.

“He wishes he would have picked him up sooner,” Aaron said. “It’s really hitting him hard.”

Charlie and Martina Hite both worked for Fresh Market on Burkhardt Road, and they also had a flea market table at Cowboy Jims on South Green River Road.

Harrison football coach Mo Sutton said he and his team are trying to process the sudden and unexplained loss of a friend.

Sutton said Charlie was a North High School graduate, but he had become an integral part of the Harrison football family.

“He never missed,” Sutton said of Charlie Hite. “He showed up every game ready to do his job. He was always early. He didn’t require anything but a team meal and a t-shirt every year. That was enough for Charlie, that and being around the program. He’d always say, ‘We’re going a to get ‘em today, coach.’ He had a great attitude and made a great contribution to our program.”

More:Evansville house explosion on Weinbach Avenue kills 3, shakes neighborhood

A moment of silence for Charlie and Martina Hite was planned for before Friday’s scrimmage, Sutton said.

Aaron Hite said his aunt and uncle were loving and supportive members of his family. Aaron said Charlie helped him move into his first Evansville apartment. Martina Hite, he said, loved the color purple and wearing purple outfits.

He said the couple had no children, only pets.

“It’s hard, truly,” Aaron said of the loss.