Charles Edward Spates

Charles was born on August 25, 1938, third child to Everett Elwood Spates and Mildred Olga Roesler. Charles was baptized and confirmed in the historic sanctuary of Immanuel Lutheran Church where he was a lifelong member. He grew up on Aurora Street in Sunset Heights, amidst a large group of friends and family where he attended Immanuel Lutheran School.

In 1952 when Charles was in the 8th grade at Immanuel, he met the love of his life Barbara Jean Vinsonhaler. Together they embraced the trials and tribulations of Hamilton Middle School, and Reagan High School. About mid-senior year Charles took a detour to Woodville, Texas where he completed high school.

Barbara Jean his faithful childhood sweetheart made the ultimate decision to spend fifty-seven years of married life together raising three daughters, Michelle Renee, Karen Elizabeth and Laura Kathleen to the best of their abilities, with assistance from GODs grace, grandparents and friends.

One of our family memories included trips to New Braunfels starting with a packed station wagon filled with every convenience from home and making multiple pit-stops with three little girls and a wife who insisted please only stop at “clean gas stations,” and hours later finally reach their 2-hour destination. Exhausted from unpacking the warehouse wagon, he would grab some sleep then at the break of dawn he became the “town crier” and started knocking on family and friends doors to wake up and get dressed, eat breakfast, “his special fried bologna sandwiches”. Every one grab your tube and meet at the dock to “ride the rapids” (our version of synchronized tubing), this mission went on for many years.

Charles worked most of his life as a heavy equipment operator through the AFL-CIO International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 450, based in Houston. He worked on many construction projects in Houston and along the Texas Gulf Coast including Dow Chemical (Freeport); the South Texas Nuclear Project (Bay City) and the original First City National Bank Building now known as One City Center completed in 1961 and located at 1021 Main Street in downtown Houston, which was the first “tall” building to be constructed in downtown. He was especially proud of his work for SpaceTech, Inc., during the construction of Space Center Houston where he was involved in the installation of many historic space flight artifacts.

After retirement, he was fondly remembered by many as the "Bus Driver” of Immanuel Lutheran School in The Heights where his grandchildren attended, and they would have the opportunity to tag-along on the field trips. Charles never met a stranger and could strike-up a conversation with anyone. He always had a joke or one-liner ready to make you laugh and feel comfortable. He had a million and one stories about growing up in The Heights and living in a predominately female household.

In his early parenting he survived multiple slumber birthday parties, dance recitals, cheerleading events, field trips and numerous non-related children sitting at his dinner table to feed and chauffeur around town. He was charming, kind, and gentle, but could be tough when necessary. He was famous for stating “put the glasses in the dishwasher not the zinc.” Also he was bestowed “honorary rooster” from the beauty shop group when he would take our Grandmother for her weekly Friday hair appointments. He never missed an opportunity to “slap his hand on the kitchen table” to watch my Mom jump, and belly-laughed every time she fell for it. He loved westerns - especially Lonesome Dove and the music of Dolly Parton.

He loved to drive fast and it didn’t matter what type of vehicle from motorcycle to lawnmower he wanted to drive fast and cherished NASCAR racing.

Later years he had the opportunity of walking his three daughters down the wedding aisle and was always there for the births of his Grandchildren and the repeated birthdays, concerts, sporting events, graduations and most important the “just because conversations.”

Charles Edward Spates was called to his Heavenly home on Sunday, May 8, 2016, surrounded by his wife and daughters. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers; Raymond Earl Spates and Lawrence Everett Spates.

Charles is survived by his wife Barbara and his beloved daughters, Michelle and her husband, David Foster; Karen Evans; Laura and her husband, Michael Morgan. He is the grandfather of eight grandchildren whom he cherished: Joe Cunningham and his wife Heather, Timothy Cunningham; Amanda Foster, Taylor Evans and his wife Ninfa, Cory Evans; Kelli Evans, Justin Morgan, Brittany Morgan and fiancé’ David Mathieu, Jonathan Parnham, and two great-grandchildren Taylor and Emily Cunningham.

Charles leaves a beloved sister, Minnie Lee Floeck and host of nieces, nephews, cousins, step-grandchildren, grandnieces and nephews along with many friends that will mourn his passing.