Charles Hartwell Corson III

July 13, 1921 – July 19, 2017

Charles (Chuck) Corson died peacefully while sleeping on July 19, 2017. He was 96 years old. Family were present at the time he died. Survivors include his wife, Carol; his daughters, Cindy (Cynthia) and Corinne; his granddaughter, Melissa; and his great grandson, Beckett. While always having a love for cats, in his later years Chuck took a special liking to Tucker, Corinne’s West Highland Terrier. Chuck was the younger of two boys born to a twice widowed mother. His brother preceded him in death.

The family moved to Grants Pass in the early 1970s when Chuck got a job as a Telephone Switchman. He was employed in this job until retirement. The family lived on property shared with Carol’s parents that became the long-time family home until 2014. Chuck had been residing in assisted living in Grants Pass until his death.

Chuck was exceptionally well respected and liked by all who knew him, and was especially loved and adored by his daughters. He had a love of the outdoors, camping, hiking, backpacking, gold panning and digging for old treasures, metal detecting, and much more. Old photos of their dad that Cindy and Corinne love most are of him in the mountains, with a pack on his back, or sitting around a campfire. He instilled in his daughters this love of the outdoors; they both spend most of their free time in the mountains, or forests, on the desert, or by a lake. Most of their memories of time spent with their dad were when they were camping, or hiking, or just simply exploring. Family vacations were always spent camping in an old Artistocrat camp trailer. In fact, when the girls were small, the family spent two years living in the trailer exploring places all over California and Oregon.

Chuck was very dedicated to his family, doing anything he could to help out everyone around him – his in-laws, his daughters, his extended family, his friends. He was a hard worker and performed arduous physical labor (chopping wood, raking, gardening, landscaping) even into his 90s. He was a good role model for his daughters, teaching integrity, kindness, and perseverance; he rarely got angry or raised his voice, and always found a way to make the best of any situation he found himself in.

There is now a large, empty place in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. He is and will be deeply missed.

Memorial contributions can be made to the

National Forest Foundation

Bldg 27, Ste 3, Fort Missoula Road

Missoula, MT 59804

https://www.nationalforests.org/donate/give

Arrangements under the direction of Chapel of the Valley-L.B. Hall Funeral H, Grants Pass, OR.