He is survived by his wife, Martha (Duffy) Kidwell, with whom he celebrated 51 years of marriage this year on July 3. He is also survived by two daughters: Kim Kidwell and husband Tommy Hollahan, of Austin, Texas; and Jackie Bartlett and husband Tony, of Spring, Texas; and two grandsons, Joseph Kidwell Bartlett and Samuel Christian Bartlett.
Charlie was preceded in death by his parents: Joe E. Kidwell and Gertrude (Baertels) Kidwell. He was a 1964 graduate of Henry County High School in New Castle, Ky., and a 1968 graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in physics. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.
He was a 35-year career employee of Shell Oil Company and served in a variety of locations and departments, including company headquarters in Houston and New Orleans as well in exploratory sites in Nigeria and the Chukchi Sea in Alaska. He also was employed at the company’s training and conference site at Robert, La. A colleague at Shell remembers Charlie as “a pleasure to work with; easy-going, soft-spoken, open-minded, and always willing to listen.”
The family moved several times in his work for Shell and has many friends from when they lived in Sugar Land, Texas, and Mandeville/Madisonville, La. Wherever they lived, the couple was noted for their Kentucky Derby parties and occasional Bloody Mary mornings.
Upon his retirement in 2004, Charlie and Marty continued to contribute to their community in Madisonville, La., where Charlie was president of the Black River Estates Neighborhood Association. They were members of Mary, Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mandeville. They enjoyed traveling, especially to Disney World and visits back home to Kentucky especially at this time of year for the races at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. They enjoyed vacations and visits with their daughters and grandchildren and tending to the many azaleas and bird feeders at their home.
In 2018, Charlie and Marty moved to The Forum at The Woodlands, Texas.
A funeral service with limited attendance due to the pandemic will be Tuesday, Sept. 29 at noon at Forest Park The Woodlands. Burial at Forest Park The Woodlands Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in Charles’ memory to Alzheimer’s Association.
Memories and messages of condolences for the family of Charles Kidwell may be offered online at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home.