Douglas, Charles E. Sr. – 1936-2008

ANDES, BANZHAF, CARROLL, CRISWELL, DOUGLAS, HENSLEY, LAKOSE, LOWRY, MACHIN, ROHM, THOMPSON, ZELTMAN

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 10/15/2008 at 12:30:53

GRINNELL — Charles E. Douglas Sr., 72, of Grinnell died Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with the Rev. John Epperson, pastor of the Grinnell Christian Church, officiating. Interment will be at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. Visitation will begin at noon today, Monday, at the Smith Funeral Home with the family present to greet friends from 5 to 8 p.m. this evening.
Memorials may be directed to the Charles E. Douglas, Sr. Memorial Fund. Online condolences may be submitted to the Douglas family at www.smithfh.com.
Charles is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ruby Douglas of Grinnell; his children, Brenda (Dennis) Lowry of Kellogg, Cheryl (Scott) Banzhaf of Marshalltown, Vicky (Don) Zeltman of Eldora, Connie (George) Thompson of Montezuma, Charles (Melinda Hensley) Douglas, Jr. of Pella, Rhonda Carroll of Newton and Tammy (Chad) Machin of Kellogg; 19 grandchildren; 17 great- grandchildren; his brother, Ray Douglas of Bettendorf; and his sisters, Grace LaKose of Brooklyn, Jan Douglas of Des Moines and Kay Rohm of Marysville, Calif.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Loren and Maurice Jr.; and his grandson T.J. Douglas.
Source: Newton(IA) Daily News; Monday, October 13, 2008

Charles was born August 07, 1936, the son of Maurice and June Andes Douglas in Malcom, Iowa. He was raised on the family farm and was educated at rural schools near his home. He graduated from BGM High School in Brooklyn, Iowa with the class of 1954.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force on July 21, 1954, in Des Moines, Iowa and served domestically in the United States and in England and occupied Germany. He was honorably discharged from active duty on October 31, 1974 at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
Charles was united in marriage to Ruby Lee Criswell on October 10, 1956, in Grinnell, Iowa. Upon his retirement from the United States Air Force, he worked at several local businesses in Grinnell including Farmhand, McNally’s, Grinnell Beverage, Cargill, Manatts, Donaldson’s and Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance. He was an outdoorsman and he enjoyed fishing, hunting and trapping. His enjoyments included listening to bluegrass music, attending auctions, collecting toys, gardening, yard work, and watching the finches in his backyard.
Source: Smith Funeral Home website