Charlie was born in Mooresville, NC and was the youngest child of Rob and Leila Knox. He grew up on his family’s farm in Davidson, NC and had a pet goat that would pull him around in a cart. Charlie joined the Air Force in 1961, where he put his skills to work as an airplane mechanic. After leaving the service, he moved to Raleigh to begin a successful 30-year career with IBM.
By chance, he moved into an apartment next door to Jane Helms, a young schoolteacher who would become the love of his life. In 1969, they were married and began their life together. Jane, the “city girl,” was very tolerant of Charlie, her “country boy,” even when he would throw away the Tupperware containers at work after eating the lunches she made for him.
Charlie had a brilliant engineer’s mind and could fix or make just about anything. He taught both his children as teenagers how to fix their own cars, and assisted with numerous school science projects. He built a barn for the family’s horses and held numerous patents from his work at IBM.
Charlie was smart, kind, and loving. He was also courageous, and never let his health issues in recent years slow him down. He will be missed by many, and will forever be in our hearts.
Charlie is predeceased by his parents and his sister, Tina, along with his father and mother-in-law, Senator and Mrs. Jesse Helms, with whom he was very close.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jane; his children Rob (Krystin) and Jennifer (Shields); his grandchildren, Maggie, Ryan, Cooper and Alex; his sister, Ann League; and his faithful four-legged companions, Cricket and Lexi.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 27 at 11:00am at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Raleigh, NC. A reception will immediately follow the service at the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607; or the Helms School of Government at Liberty University, 1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, VA 24515.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh, NC.
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