Charles Jaramillo

Charles Antonio Jaramillo, 77, passed away on Thursday, February 3, 2022, at 4:47 p.m., while at Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, for 23 days, from COVID pneumonia. He was born on August 4, 1944, in East Los Angeles, California, to Carlos Ramirez and Jovita (Zamora) Jaramillo.

Charles grew up in East Los Angeles, CA. He graduated from Cantwell High School in Montebello, California, in 1962. After high school, he wanted to travel and immediately went to England for about six months. Upon returning home from England, he attended Rio Hondo College in Whittier and studied political science. Seeing his love for history, his teacher signed him up to become an intern in Washington, D.C., where he worked copying letters and files for one year (1964-1965) during the Lyndon B. Johnson era.

Around June 23, 1965, seeing all of his friends being drafted, Charles enlisted in the US Army in order to have a choice, and he trained to become a Green Beret. After approximately 18 months of training, he went off to the gruesome war in Vietnam and he served as a Green Beret for 14 months of that tour of duty.

Upon returning home from the war, he quickly learned the skills of becoming a pilot. He also learned the skills of a real estate agent from his step-father and soon became a real estate broker in the years ahead, for which he worked the rest of his life, and ended up opening his own office in the Hacienda Heights area known as Sunset Hills Realty. He worked as a real estate broker for almost 40 years. He then retired to Buckeye, AZ, where he flew parachuters up into the air for about six months, then learned the game of golf (which became a passion of his), where he also learned to play the harmonica really well, and he traveled a lot with his wife.

Charles first married Jeannie M. Bashor in June of 1973. During that marriage he had four children: Elliot, Melanie, David, and Daren Jaramillo.

After a divorce in August of 1987, Charles remained single for 19 years until July 15, 2006, when he married Susan Wrye and remained married until the date of his death.

Charles is survived by his spouse, Susan L. Wrye, of Buckeye, Arizona; his son Elliot Jaramillo of Berkeley, California; his daughter Melanie (Andy) Mishler of Penn Valley, California; David Jaramillo (Christy) of Weaverville, California, and Daren (Valerie) Jaramillo of West Covina, California; his step-children Joshua (Betcy) and Matthew (Nicole) Wrye; his “adopted” daughter Shawna (Mike) Westbrook; his sisters Patssi Valdez of Silver Lake, California, and Karen (Victor) Gamboa of Montebello, California; his grandchildren Madyline Jaramillo-Schommer, Noah and Jonah Jaramillo, Lily, Lyla, and Leah Jaramillo; his step-grandchildren Charlotte, Marcus, and Josie Wrye; and his “adopted” grandchildren, Drake and Jackson Westbrook.

Charles was preceded in death by his father, Carlos R. Jaramillo, his mother Jovita Martinez.

A memorial service will be held at Desert Hills Baptist Church, 20909 W. Yuma Road, Buckeye, Arizona, on Thursday, March 3, 2022, at

10:00 a.m., and a burial of ashes will follow at National Memorial Cemetery, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ, on the same date at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Desert Hills Baptist Church (Building Fund), 20909 W. Yuma Road, Buckeye, AZ 85326 (where Charles attended regularly and served the Lord).