Charles Jesse (Chuck)Crabaugh was born June 21, 1940 in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas to Charles Quentin And Nancy Bob (Cone) Crabaugh. He Passed away January 21,2017 in Yuma, Arizona. His father was an Arkansas State Trooper at the time of his birth, and shortly thereafter they moved to Washington D. C. where his father was a carpenter at the beginning of WWII. Soon after that they and his older sister, Bobby Jo moved to Selah, Washington where they lived until the fall of 1948 and at that time the family moved to Shungnak, Alaska where his parents taught school to the Inupiat Natives of the village. They remained there for 2 years before moving to Kasilof, Alaska and later to Kenai, Alaska. His father worked for one of the salmon canneries until Charles was 17 Years old. Charles joined the U. S. Navy in Anchorage and was sworn into service on September 15, 1957 in Kodiak, Alaska. After finishing boot camp in San Diego he was transferred to Treasure Island, California where he went through Radar School and was placed on the U. S. S. Ticonderoga (CVA-14). He served 2 years aboard making a far east cruise and upon returning was transferred to the U. S. S, Coral Sea (CVA43) in Bremerton, Washington. He helped re-commission the ship and made another far east cruise including a short time in Vietnam waters. Just before leaving for this cruise he was married to his sweet heart, Roberta Joyce (Woods) Crabaugh on June 7, 1960. He was discharged from the Navy on June 5, 1961 as a Second Class Radar Petty Officer, and shortly after that he and his bride left by car to drive to Alaska for their permanent residence. The first winter was very hard on his wife as well as himself as it turned out to be the coldest winter on record, but they survived and flourished. He worked for Schlumberger Oil Well Services and later for the Chevron Refinery as a head operator where he stayed for 11 years as a head operator. During this period he and his wife had a son, Terry who was still born followed shortly thereafter by another son, Edward Wayne and then by a daughter, Elaine. To his dying day they remain the apple of is eye as well as his wonderful wife, Roberta. From there he and his wife bought a convenience store in Kenai followed by another one a couple of years later and another one in Soldotna. They stayed in this business about 5 years and sold out in order to buy into a partnership in the Orca Theaters. He also was a journeyman Millwright for several years during this time. He then bought a commercial gillnetter for Cook inlet the "Wampum" and fished it until 1990. At that time he obtained his 100 ton Near Coastal Coast Guard License and bought "Cie Jae Ocean Charters" out of Homer, Alaska. He conducted Halibut fishing charters in Homer for 5 years and then moved to Yakutat, Alaska for 3 years and then moved to Seward, Alaska where he obtained a job as Port Captain for a sightseeing tour company. He remained in the tour business until his retirement in 2007 after working for several companies and he spent most of his last 10 working years running 100 1 Tour boats out of Whittier, Alaska.
He retired to Yuma, Arizona where he lived with his wife, Roberta for the remainder of his life and passed away in his home quietly on January 21, 2017 from Prostate cancer which he had fought for 9 years. He had a wonderful life and would have loved to live longer but the good Lord saw otherwise and he is now in a better place.
Chuck is survived by his wife; Roberts Joyce (Woods) Crabaugh, son: Edward
Wayne Crabaugh: Daughter Elaine (Crabaugh) Phillipps: Sisters: Virgelina Hamett,
Wendie Lou Fife, Bonnie Dean Pothier, Grand Daughters Kaitlin Rae Phillipps, Katrina Grace Phillipps, Elsa Rose Crabaugh and Margot James Crabaugh as well as various nieces and nephews. A celebration of life is currently pending.