Charles C Fancher

W5TTF signed off with his final 73’s on June 18, 2025. Charles C Fancher, Charles to his mom and “Charlie” to his friends and acquaintances, passed away peacefully on June 18, 2025, in the home he cherished and lived in since having it built in 1966. Charlie met his beloved Estelle (Dooley) at the University of Texas, and they married on July 27, 1957, sharing nearly 60 years together until her passing in 2016.

Charlie was born on June 4, 1932, to Mattie Stanfield Fancher and George H. Fancher in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania (near State College), where his father was a professor at Penn State University. The family spent a short time in Kansas, where his father oversaw new technologies being deployed in the oil fields. In 1935 the family moved to Austin where Charlie’s father began a professorship at the University of Texas. As a youth, Charlie enjoyed baseball, basketball, tennis, waterskiing, and participated in Cub and Boy Scouts. Always interested in electronics and radio communication, he spent much time disassembling, building, and tinkering with electronics in his backyard “shack” at the family home. He always wanted to learn how things worked and was passionate about technology, electronics, and radio (or RF as he called it). He graduated from Austin High School in 1950 and earned and held a HAM Amateur Advanced Class license since 1952.

In 1951, Charlie enlisted and served in the army as a radio repairman. He spent time at Fort Sam Houston, Fort Gordon, and Fort Hood where he received permission to innovatively install the first mobile HAM radio rig in a Jeep at Fort Hood. After his discharge, Charlie began work in sales at Hargis Company, a national electronics distributor. Later he worked in sales for a national electronic components supplier. Desiring less travel, he then became vice president of a local hi-fi retailer. For a time in the early 70’s, he owned a bicycle shop, inspiring his sons to become life-long biking enthusiasts. He also owned a convenience store serving then far northwest Austin. Returning to his first passion, Charlie pursued a technical degree in electronics at Southwest School of Electronics in Austin, excelling to the point of being offered an instructor position. Instead, Charlie joined Kasper Electronics (later sold to Eaton Corp), a supplier of ion implanters to the rapidly developing semiconductor industry, at first in test and service then later in charge of the parts and service department traveling in support of customers worldwide, often taking his wife Estelle with him, until his retirement.

In retirement, Charlie continued tinkering and fixing electronic devices and enjoying his HAM radio hobby. His enthusiasm for technology fueled his passion for all things Apple, starting with an Apple II computer purchased at the request of his youngest son. Charlie’s memory and recall were remarkable until his passing. He was known for his vivid storytelling and conversations, often going on for hours. He loved and took great pride in his neighborhood. He was very grateful for the support he got from all his neighbors in his later years.

Charlie is survived by sons Eric (Emily), Kent (Carol), and Karl (Sherrie), along with brother George (Carolyn), sister Carol Crowe (Tommy, dec.), grandchildren Justin, Clara, Julienna, Jordan, Raymond, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. His family is grateful for all those who cared for Charlie and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, if you would like to make a donation in memory of Charlie, please consider supporting the National Association for Amateur Radio’s Education and Technology Fund at https://home.arrl.org/action/Donate/Education-Technology-Fund.