Fred Richard Charles

Fred Richard Charles, 4125 Woodfox Drive, Charlotte, NC 28277-7634 passed away March 21, 2017. Fred was born at the Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem ,NC on 15 July 1932 to Carl Teague Charles (1898-1974) and Pauline Hyatt Charles Peacock (1904-1998). Fred, in Winston Salem, NC attended Ardmore Elementary School and R.J. Reynolds High School, graduating in 1950. He was active in R.J. Reynolds High School Band and Orchestra, Moravian Church Sunrise Service Band and also a Cub Scout and afterwards a Boy Scout of America in Troop 49 at Ardmore United Methodist Church. He was a member of New Friendship Baptist Church and First Baptist Church. After graduation from R.J. Reynolds High School in 1950, during Korean War, Fred served in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman stationed at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. After his Naval Service, under the GI Bill, Fred attended UNC, Chapel Hill, NC graduating in 1956 with a BS degree in Pharmacology. After UNC graduation, Fred moved to Charlotte, NC where he worked as a Pharmacist at Charlotte Memorial Hospital. There, he met and married Lynn Barton his wife of 47 years. Later in his career, after retirement, Fred worked as Hospital Pharmacy Consultant in Monroe, NC and at Drug Store Chains in Charlotte, NC In his retirement, in addition to vacationing at his beloved Marriot Monarch Timeshare at Hilton Island, SC , he pursued many lifelong hobbies such as TV Assembly and Repair, W4UVO Amateur Ham Radio Operator, Licensed Light Aviation Pilot, Pipe Organ Rebuilding, and Classic Auto Refurbishing, his latest a 1966 Austin-Healy Sprite Coupe. All of this while befriending all of the lonely furry creatures, mainly cats, which gathered daily in his Woodfox Drive area expecting admiration and food handouts from their friend, kind-hearted and caring Fred. He leaves his wife Lynn Charles and his stepson Stephen Wise of Charlotte, NC, his stepdaughter Wendy Gore, step grandson Thomas Gore, his step granddaughter Shannon Donaldson, and step great grandson James Donaldson and Elizabeth Donaldson of Orlando, Fl, also great grandchildren Jackie, Madyson and Shawna Gore of Orlando, FL. He was preceded in death by his mother, Pauline Hyatt Charles Peacock (1904-1998) and father, Carl Teague Charles (1898-1974) of St. Petersburg, Florida, and his sister, Sarah Carolyn Charles Morss (1937-2008) of New York, NY. He leaves his brother-in-law, Tony Morss of New York, NY; his older brother, Colonel Carlyle Hyatt Charles, Ret, USA, and sister-in-law, Genofefa (Nee Bonarek) Charles, both of St. Petersburg, Florida and Weimar, Germany. He also leaves three nephews, Curtis Donald Charles (wife Claudia) of Asheville, NC; Kenneth Wayne Charles (wife Sonni) of Fairborn, OH; and Stephen Christopher Charles (wife Grace) of Laurel, MD. Also he leaves great nieces, Christina Sarah Charles of Chicago, IL and Caren Diana Charles of Wappingers, NY. He also leaves stepbrother Glen A. Peacock (wife Carol) and family of Maitland and St. Petersburg, FL and leaves many cousins and friends. He will be missed dearly by his immediate family, extended family , and many friends.