Charles Joseph Vorce

Charles Joseph “Carlos” Vorce Charles Joseph “Carlos” Vorce was born in September of 1921 in San Francisco, California, and departed this life peacefully on January 30, 2005 in Austin Texas, with family and friends at his side. When Charles was 16 his family moved to Alameda, California, where he graduated from high school and attended the Community College of San Francisco. Having been in ROTC in high school, Charles joined the Army in 1942, beginning a 22 year career of service in the Armed Forces. During WWII he served with the U.S. Army in Northern Africa, Sicily, and Italy where he was a reconnaissance officer and participated in the Battle of Monte Casino. After the war, he was assigned to the Army Air Force at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas, becoming part of the U.S. Air Force with its creation as a separate branch of service in 1947. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the North Africa Campaign Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal with Valor, among other awards and decorations for his military service. While in Fort Worth, he met and married Nobie Wynell Bullard Coker, love of his life and wife until her death in 1974. During their years together, Charles and Nobie were assigned to many locations in the U.S., including Florida, New Mexico, Texas, California, and Virginia. Charles also served in the Korean War. The couple enthusiastically enjoyed the “Air Force life”, taking meaning from the service and great fun from the many friendships forged along the way. Charles served along side Chuck Yeager at George Air Force Base, in California and at the same posting as the original seven astronauts when he was with TAC headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. After his retirement from active duty in 1964, Charles and Nobie returned to Fort Worth, Texas, where he worked with the USAF plant representative’s office at General Dynamics. They later moved to San Antonio where he worked at the Military Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base. Seven years later he returned to Fort Worth, working again as a management analyst at Carswell and then as an Air Force plant representative until his retirement from Civil Service in 1985. After the loss of his wife Nobie, Carlos began a period of exploration and personal growth during which he took up tennis, scuba-diving, renewed his life-long love of dancing, and took many trips to Club Med, Elder Hostel Programs and bi-annual vacations to various places at home and abroad with his daughter, Linda. He became active in the First Methodist Church of Fort Worth, and with the church’s Downtown Singles Class. He could regularly be seen in the evening, dancing at the Ft. Worth Petroleum Club. In 1999 he moved from Fort Worth to Austin where he lived at Westminster Manor. Though his life was one of frequent change, Carlos was a man of certain unchanging qualities: a total determination to never stop growing as a person, a quick wit and wry sense of humor, a love of flirting, an unquenchable zest for life, and above all, an enduringly positive outlook in the face of numerous difficulties. He always maintained his strong love of family. He treasured a deep connection with his beloved daughter, Linda. He took great pride that his grandson, Alan Coker, followed him by serving in the U.S. Air Force. He will be deeply missed by all those who loved him. Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Nobie, his step-daughter Jo Ann Houston, and son-in-law Bill Houston, of Fort Worth. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Vorce Gerber, of Austin, step-son Louis Coker and wife Onita, of Fort Worth, granddaughter, Connie Higdon, and husband, Duane Higdon, grandsons, Stephen Houston of Fort Worth, Alan Coker, and wife Dee, stationed in the Azores, David Coker, and wife, Holly, of Phoenix, along with six great grandchildren. The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to Westminster Manor. The incredible care and kindness shown to Carlos by the Clinic, the Medical Team, Resident Services, and the nursing staff at the Westminster Manor Nursing Care Center will always be cherished. Those who desire may make memorial contributions to People’s Promise Foundation (http://www.peoplespromisefoundation.org) or to the charity of their choice. Memorial services will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 at Westminster Manor Chapel. Graveside services with full military honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 3, 2005 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. Memorials and guestbook online at wcfish.com