Charles A. Emery

Charles A. Emery, age 67, passed away peacefully at his home in Columbus, Ohio with his wife and brother by his side, June 7, 2012. Charles was born January 29, 1945 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the oldest of four children.

As a youngster living in Winnetka, Illinois he studied the violin and sang in the boy’s choir of the Episcopal Christ Church. This kindled his life-long love of music. Charles’ family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1958 where he attended Arcadia High School. While in high school he sang in the Glee Club and participated in drama productions. He was a member of the Phoenix Orpheus Choir and toured Europe with these choristers.

After graduating from high school he attended Arizona State University and became interested with film and was employed with the Art Theater Guild. Charles managed art theaters all over the US and eventually managed a theater in Columbus where he settled.

While in Columbus, Charles was honorably discharged from the Ohio National Guard and studied at the Columbus Police Academy. He worked as an Auxiliary Police Officer for 13 years before moving into the Communications department for the Columbus Police Department. While working with the Columbus P.D., Charles was instrumental in the designing of one of the first 911 computer systems.

Charles was considered the patriarch of his family and extended family in Canada, Scotland and Russia, keeping the genealogy records. Family was most important to him. He had many interests, including choir singing and flying his airplane after receiving his pilot’s license.

Charles enjoyed traveling all over the world, and it was on one such trip to Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he met his beloved wife, Ludmila.

Charles was a very passionate, generous, empathic and responsible man. He was always concerned for those less fortunate than himself, and very sensitive to animals. Charles was an outgoing, likeable and loyal friend. Although Charles lived with many physical challenges, he enjoyed following golf and tennis. He was greatly looking forward to the 2012 London Olympics. In his later years, Charles became a keen enthusiast and supporter of the Libera Boy’s Choir of Britain.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Caryl and Sally Emery and by his nephew, Nathan Emery, Charles will be missed by his loving wife of 15 years, Ludmila; brother Lee (June) Emery, British Columbia, sisters Gretchen Emery (Yuma, Arizona) and Sally Emery (Pahoa, Hawaii); many nieces and nephews, including Daniel Emery and his family; Colin, Caron and Stuart and Andy Adler of California; and sister-in-law, Irina Kirsanova and her family (St. Petersburg, Russia).

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 28, 2012 at St. John In the Wilderness, 2175 First Street, White Bear Lake, Minnesota, 55110-3462, The Rev. Dana Emery, officiating. Charles’ urn will be placed next to his mother in Oakland Cemetery, 927 Jackson St., Saint Paul, Minnesota.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Charles’ name to the James Cancer Clinic at Wexner Medical Center at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Schoedinger Chapel (614) 939-4558. To share memories of Charles, visit www.schoedinger.com.