CHARLES EDWARD 1926-2011 A resident of Albuquerque, died Wednesday, November 23, 2011. He is survived by his five children, Julia, Chuck, Patty, Joe, and Sylvia; their four spouses, Greg, Jan, Janet, and Jim; six grandchildren, Jennifer, Janice, Brian, Christina, Joe, and Sarah; their partners, Johnny, Jenny, and Jeff; along with six great-grandchildren. Julie, the love of his life, left us for heaven a year ago last October but these two were married for 61 wonderful years. Brother Don, son-in-law Gilbert and grandson David also went ahead of papa to prepare the way. We miss them all... but know they are well. The year is 1944. A bright young man barely out of high school, and with only a little college, tries to enlist in the armed forces to fight the Nazis... but he is as blind as a bat without his glasses ... so he gets a job with Chrysler Corporation building "special" equipment for some place in Tennessee called Oak Ridge. Humm, maybe that helps explain some of the things we know about him (but no, he didn't glow in the dark). Charles (Chuck) Vertrees was born in Bokoshe, Oklahoma but grew up in Detroit, Michigan during the 1930's. The older of two boys, there was always food on the table as his father, Charles X., managed a grocery store (where he learned even in the depression people wouldn't buy "sad" looking produce). After the war the family moved to the Southwest where he enrolled at the University of New Mexico; so began one of the longest Pharmaceutical careers in the state's history. Upon graduation he worked retail in Roswell, Carlsbad, and finally Albuquerque "pushing pills" at Super Drug, Central Drug, and then the Gulf Mart department store where he often worked 60 to 80 hours a week to support his family. An economic down turn in the 70's closed Gulf Mart and he landed at the University of New Mexico Hospital Pharmacy (a great move ... by the way) where he worked until retirement ... and well beyond. A fixture at the hospital, he was the oldest practicing licensed pharmacist in the state of New Mexico and was still working part-time at UNMH until his passing. His greatest occupation however was as husband and father. As a student at UNM he joined a hiking club and on a trail in the Sandia Mountains met a beautiful young woman named Julia who had forgotten her gloves. A suggestion: He could wear his right glove and she the left ... and then they could hold hands ... success. Graduation brought a wedding, then a home, and one, two, three, four ... and then five children. A wonderful singer with a strong tenor voice he not only sang in his church choir but, beginning in the 1950's, also sang Lead with a SPEBSQSA Barbershop chorus and several quartets. We are sure he is already working on a new quartet. A prodigious reader with eclectic interests, he was a storehouse of information (and would have been a wonderful contestant on Jeopardy). The owner of several Chevy Corvairs he was the secretary of the Albuquerque collectors' chapter of CORSA. Chuck was a gregarious character and everyone who knew him can recall the twinkle in his eye when he was telling a story ... or a joke. His was a long and full life, but what we will remember most is the size of his heart. The kindness, generosity, and love he shared with all who knew him defines the legacy he leaves. A Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 3:00 p.m., at Christ United Methodist Church, 6200 Gibson Blvd. SE. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Christ United Methodist Church Missions Fund. Please visit our online guest book for Charles at: www.RememberTheirStory.com FRENCH 1111 University Blvd NE 505-843-6333
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