Charlie Peterson Thames

Charlie Peterson Thames, 93, passed away on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 in Melbourne, FL. The youngest of four children, he was born on December 28, 1926 to the late Joseph Monroe Thames and Emma Peterson Thames. Charlie was a member of The Chapel of the Cross Episcopalian Church in Madison, MS. He was baptized there in his retirement and his faith became very important to him.

Raised in Pender County, NC, Charlie attended Burgaw H.S. After graduating, he pursued a degree in Pre-Engineering at Clemson University but left Clemson in 1945 to serve in the US military. He entered active service with Squadron A 3505th AAF Basic Unit on June 5, 1945. On March 20, 1946, Charlie was Honorably Discharged from the AAF as a Private in order to re-enlist in the Air Force the following day. Charlie first served as a Record Clerk, then as an Administrative Non-Commissioned Officer with the 13th Army Air Force, HQ, near Manila, Luzon, Philippines Islands and was Honorably Discharged from the US Air Force as a Private First Class on April 16, 1947.

After being discharged from military service, Charlie attended Wake Forest University, where he was a member of Sigma Chi. After college, he worked for the Highway Dept in North Carolina, Martin Marietta in Orlando, then the DMV in Ft. Myers. After retiring, Charlie moved to Mississippi to be near his family and enjoy spending time with his grandsons and great grandchildren. Charlie also held memberships in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

Charlie was fun to be with and always had a good story to share. He enjoyed a wide variety of interests and generously shared his gifts and talents with others. He was a great dancer and an artist. He built his own boats and loved kayaking. He was an avid fisherman and a hunter. He tied fishing flies and gave demonstrations on the craft. He was a volunteer with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and at local libraries. Through the years, he entertained residents and staff at various retirement homes with his stories of growing up and of nature, as well as his face painting skills. Charlie was not only well-rounded and well-loved; he loved widely and well. His phone calls, letters, and visits kept the varied generations and branches of the Thames family connected across multiple decades and a half dozen states. We may not all know one another well, but we know of one another and a little about one another because of Charlie and how he loved us.

Charlie is survived by daughter-in-law, Judi (Jack) Kramer; grandsons, Kevin R. Thames (Julie) and Corey B. Thames (Leslie); great grandchildren, Conner, Tyler, AnnaKathryn, Peyton and Jonathan Thames; nieces and nephews, Robin Thames Hargett, Terry Thames Martinez (Gerard), David Williams (Maria), Paula Williams, Joe Lee Williams, Cynthia Thames-Smith (Norman), Pamela Thames Vukich (David), as well as many great nieces, great nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife and companion, Fannie Mae Starling Thames; their son, Richard Allen Thames; brothers Joseph Monroe Thames and Homer Clayton Thames; sister Mary Isabelle Thames Williams; nephews Richard William Thames and Homer Clayton Thames, Jr; and his mentor Uncle Blackman Peterson.

Charlie's grandsons and great grandchildren would like to thank his niece, Cynthia Thames-Smith, for the love and care she has shown him over the last year and a half.

A graveside service will held at Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park, 12777 State Road 82, Ft Myers, FL 33913 on Friday, September 11, 2020 at 11am. The service will be streamed via Facebook Live at http:// www.facebook.com/hodgesfuneralhomeatlee and will be posted for later viewing, as well.

For information, please call 239-334-4880.