CHARLES ARTHUR LONSFORD Was Born: February 17, 1920 In Payne Springs, Texas He had 6 sisters and 3 brothers; Charles was the second oldest of the children. They were raised during The Great Depression in the backwoods of Texas. His mother died when Charles was 20 leaving many very young siblings to the care of their father who was a circuit preacher. Their granny's biscuits were heavenly and greeted with much delight; otherwise, opossum, squirrel, pecans, sweet potatoes, watermelon, cornbread, and an occasional woodpecker prepared by 8, 10, or 12 year olds were deemed finger-lickin’ good. It was a long hike to school, so, some days, Charles, age 5, and his older brother, Bud, age 6 ½ would spend the day catching Bull Frogs. The local store owner would buy the Bull Frogs to sell the delicious frog legs to his customers. To Dad and Bud, the captured frogs meant they could stroll back home on the dusty road, in their bare feet, bowl haircuts and old, too short coveralls while smoking on their giant, fresh cigars. Charles is survived by 5 sisters, Mae, Alice, Ruth, Marjorie, and Charlotte. Three of his brothers and his sister, Mae, were and are veterans of WWII. Charles enlisted in the army at the age of 15, he got very homesick, and the army sent him back home. The then enlisted again at the age of 17, and honorably served the United States of America for 25 years as an American Infantry Soldier. Farm community dances were held in school gyms in the 1940’s, and any and all were welcome to attend, for the price of 25 cents. Handsome Charles was an excellent dancer and loved to dance. In Nunn, Colorado, he met Roberta Gunson, who also was an excellent dancer who loved to dance and attended the community dances with one of her sisters. Dad spotted Roberta across the dance floor and knew she was “the best things he ever seen in his life.” They danced, were married, he had to return to Ft. Francis E. Warren in Cheyenne, and Roberta tip toed home, returning to her high school studies. Four months after being married on January 11, 1941, Charles was transferred to Camp Roberts, in Paso Robles, CA. So, their life together began, moving here and there as the Army directed, always together, doing their best, working and supporting each other, sharing one can of beans at the end of the payday month, whatever was necessary to give their best to each other, to their country, to their children and to their families. Mother sent dad weekly packages while he was away from home and family serving his country, even into Korean War zones, dad received condensed milk with instructions to leave the can unopened and boil it over a fire until it turned to caramel, which dad shared with his fellow soldiers...who respected and trusted Charles, and probably loved his wife, too! Roberta and Charles celebrated 75 years of marriage with honor and trust, faithfulness and dignity. It was the way they lived each day. Together they have 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren with two more on the way. In WWII The United States fought to retake the Philippine islands from the Japanese. There, Charles received, on the battlefield, the Bronze Star for Valor. In the Korean conflict, the United States fought to retake South Korea from the North Koreans. Charles was in the landing at Inchon, where in the rough terrain, the army fought to retake the city of Seoul and fought further north through the deepest and most winding gorges ever seen as he and thousands of Americans fought to drive the North Koreans back into North Korea. He was at the Chosin Reservoir when the Chinese invaded North Korea, and fought in the delaying action to stop the Chinese at the 38th parallel, their border. Charles was in command of a company of men, he had been ordered to return to a certain command sight. Along the way, he met up with another company whose commander decided to take his company into the fighting along the infamous Chosin Reservoir; the other commander asked Charles to bring his men into the fight rather than return to the command sight. Charles followed his Army Orders and led his men to safety; the other commander and his men marched int o death at the Chosin Reservoir. During the “conflict” Charles received many awards for valor including American Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and two additional Bronze Stars, and the South Korean Distinguished Service Cross. Prior to entering the Korean Conflict, Charles and Roberta made many sacrifices so Charles could complete college requirements to become an officer. He held a Reserve Commission, which allowed him to accept a promotion to 2nd Lt. While on the battlefields of Korea, Charles then rose to the rank of Captain by the end of the fighting in Korea. He retired from the Army at the rank of Major in 1960 after 23 years of service. In 1960 Charles went to work for the Social Security Administration in San Francisco, CA. At the same time, he then purchased the farm he'd always dreamed of retiring to. Roberta and the two youngest children, Susy and Charlie moved to the farm in Oregon. He continued working in San Francisco while Roberta and Sue set and daily ran their mouse trap lines throughout the house and basement. Outside, the weeds were above one's head and the grass to one's waist… There were garden snakes the size of our legs that slithered quickly back under the barn, spiders that jumped and raced but couldn't escape the Eureka vacuum cleaner. Little Charlie played and wrestled with our collie dog Big John ten hours each day...we'd rather let Big John in the house at night than Little Charlie. It was a long drive from San Francisco to Sheridan so we didn't see Dad often but when we did we'd be ripping out cabinets and 60 year old linoleum. After two years, Dad got a transfer to Salem Social Security office where he worked for another two decades. He made many friends and golfing buddies while working in Salem. Finally, he lived on the farm. He was an after work hours farmer. Dad wanted the farm set up to raise cattle. So, from daybreak to moon rise, we set oak fence posts. Only Yew wood would do for corner and gate posts… Oh my goodness, I don't know where he heard about the greatness of Yew wood, all I know is that when I went into the forest with him I was 5 feet 7 inches tall but at the end of each day of cutting, hauling, loading, and unloading the Yew trees, I was 5’ 4”. We'd carry those trees out over the terrain for hours a day. Dad and Mom started their herd of cattle with a giant, Black Angus cross named Susie Bell, and two Herefords, Peggy and Rollo. Susie Bell grabbed a the apple tree branches, shook the apples down while Peggy and Rollo chomped away. As the herd grew, changed, were sold and eaten, Susie Bell remained the sole apple tree shaker. Dad walked the hills of his 160 acres loving every inch of it. He picked six gallons of Blackberries, brought them to mom, and immediately picked another six gallons… Much to the chagrin of the black bears, who lived in the berry thicket. He found a freshwater spring, an old sawmill where all to the boards to build the house and barns had been sawn, he found fifty perfect places to hunt deer, and herd of mean, wild donkeys. While driving the tractor and disc, he also found a hornets nest the size of a 50 gallon drum; with hornets in his pant legs and shirt, and waving his hat with one hand while driving the tractor with the other, dad looked like a bronco rider. Dad has size 12 hands, with gloves on they looked even bigger, he terrorized by the grandkids when he'd swoop up two dozen mice at a time out of his farm equipment and dispose of them. The kids would race to the house crying and stay inside the rest of the day. Dad wore size 12 4E boots, if Sasquatch lived nearby and saw dad’s boot print, the Sasquatch survey moved to new territory. Dads boot print is on every inch of his and mom’s farm and they all lead back to his wife, Berta, and his home. Dad loved and respected his wife, his family, his country, and his life on the farm. He will be truly missed by all who knew and loved him. He believed in God, read through the bible twice, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. So, prayerfully, we will see Charles Lonsford, our dad, again.