Charles A. Babcock

Charles was born July 31, 1921 in his grandparents’ home, two miles west of Grandview on the Forsell road, to Charles L. and Elsie (Simpson) Babcock. He received his early education in Parker Heights and graduated from Wapato High School in 1939.

Charles soloed on his twenty-first birthday in 1942 when he received his pilot’s license from Charlie McAllister, an early Yakima pioneer aviation instructor.

On Oct. 3, 1942 Charles joined the Navy V5 program. He was sent to the University of Washington for academic training. He was then sent to Ontario, OR for flight training. From there it was St. Mary’s College in CA, Norman, OK and Corpus Christi, TX.

On Sept. 13, 1944, in Corpus Christi, he received his commission as an Ensign. He was then transferred to Melbourne, FL for flight training in F6F Hellcats. In Glenview, IL on Lake Michigan, he qualified as a carrier pilot. He was then transferred to Jacksonville, FL for training as a landing signal officer on carriers.

In Jacksonville, FL on Mar. 10, 1945, he was married to Marjorie Nelson of Yakima, WA. He was then transferred to Fort Lauderdale, FL for further LSO training. After his discharge in Oct. 1945 they returned to Parker Heights where he joined his father on a fruit ranch. It was here they built their home and raised a daughter, Rebecca Ann and a son, Douglas R. Babcock.

Charles was a thirteen year member of the Sawyer Volunteer Fire Dept., a member of The Experimental Aircraft Association, the Antique Airplane Association, the Pearson Air Museum, in Vancouver, WA and Western Antique Aeroplane and Auto Museum, Hood River, OR. He was an original board member of the McAllister Museum of Aviation in Yakima. Charles was a third generation member of Snokist Growers where he delivered his fruit for forty-seven years.

Charles enjoyed his love for antique airplanes, owning and restoring a J-5 Cub, a Ryan PT21 and a 1941 Taylorcraft. In 1997 he donated his Ryan airplane to the Pearson Air Museum where it can be seen by others interested in WWII airplanes. The Taylorcraft, formerly belonging to Charlie McAllister, was purchased from Charlie in 1985. This was the same airplane that Charles had soloed in in 1942. This airplane is now in the Western Antique and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon.

Charles is survived by his wife, Marjorie Babcock of Sawyer, a daughter, Rebecca Bailey and her husband (Tom) of The Dalles, OR; son Douglas Babcock (Karen) of San Gabriel, CA; a brother, Jack (Kay) Babcock of Sawyer, a sister, Phyllis Tufts of Sawyer; three nieces, one nephew; three grand nieces and three grand nephews.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Charles L. and Elsie Babcock.

At Charles’s request no services will be held. If desired, memorials may be made to the McAllister Museum of Aviation, Yakima, WA; Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum, Hood River, OR; Habitat for Humanity, The Dalles,OR; Memorial Hospice, Yakima; or a charity of the donor’s choice.

A gathering in Chuck’s memory will be held at a later date.

Charles would like to leave you with this thought. Did you fly with Chuck? You are one of over two hundred. Think back and smile!

Keith & Keith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.