Charlie Brown

To Charlie Allan Brown, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Charlie, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Charlie really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Charlie was born on November 18, 1958 at St. David's Hospital in Austin, Texas. His parents are Robert and Sue Brown. Charlie was raised in La Marque, Texas. Even as a child, Charlie had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Charlie was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Charlie managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Charlie was raised with two siblings. He had a younger brother, Steven and a younger sister, Carrie.

All of Charlie's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Charlie experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in track, baseball, and surfing. He was in the Little League. In his spare time he liked auto mechanics. Charlie's memorable achievements included hitting a home run on first bat.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Charlie was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Charlie simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Charlie, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Charlie's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Charlie graduated from La Marque High School in 1977. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was History. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was the principal, Mr. Stephens.

Charlie reveled in life, his imagination ran free. He was viewed by many as being a creative, artistic person. Charlie was usually found at the center of things. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for Charlie, life was not a case of all play and no work. Charlie relished the task of putting his imagination to work in life. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. Per Charlie, he earned his degree from "Southwestern Bell University".

Charlie never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Charlie to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Charlie delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Charlie was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Charlie utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Frank Petrash, Jay Polivka, Mike Smith, and Brad Bills. Later in life, he became friends with Gary Cloud. Charlie loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Charlie very easy to approach. On May 16, 1998 Charlie exchanged wedding vows with Darlene Marie Gace at Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Pflugerville, Texas. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Charlie related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Charlie was blessed with two children, son, Matthew, and his daughter, Casey. They were also blessed with one grandson, Garrett. Charlie had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Charlie's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Charlie had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Charlie was a real “people person.” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Charlie liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Charlie was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Charlie's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Charlie as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was telecommunications and a business owner. He was employed for 30 years.

Charlie enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Charlie liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were fishing, fishing and fishing! Charlie was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Charlie felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Charlie loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Charlie relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Charlie never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Charlie played baseball, surfing and track. Recreational sports included fishing. Charlie was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were NASCAR.

Charlie had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Charlie's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. Throughout his later years, Charlie was an active member of the CCA (Coastal Conservation Association).

Naturally outgoing and generous, Charlie was regularly doing things for others. For him, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Charlie was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included receiving a certificate from White House Communications for hooking up Air Force One.

Living life in the fast lane suited Charlie just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included the beaches of Maui, Cozamel, Bahama's and visiting Las Vegas.

Charlie was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Charlie's favorites is Ziggy, a mini schnauzer. They were best friends for 12 years. His family was rounded out by his two mini schnauzer's, Elvis and Kaylea.

Charlie passed away at home on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 due to end stages of liver disease, his wife and daughter were by his side.

He is survived by his parents, Robert and Sue; wife, Darlene; children, Matthew and Casey; brother and sister, Steven and Carrie.

The family will receive friends at 3:00 p.m., followed by funeral services at 4:00 p.m., Saturday, May 15, 2010 in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home. Charlie's ashes will be scattered in the gulf near Galveston, Texas at a later date.

The family of Charlie Brown would like to request that their family and friends who plan to attend the Celebration Service to please dress colorful and casual.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Charlie's memory to Hospice Austin at www.hospiceaustin.org or Coastal Conservation Association at www.ccatexas.org.

For those desiring to send a floral tribute, consideration of a green plant instead would be appreciated.

Charlie brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Charles Allan Brown lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.