Charles Ernest Cernik was a native Texan and life-long resident of Houston’s Oak Forest neighborhood. He was born in Houston on December 5, 1924 to Sophie B. Kase and Frank Cernik. He passed away on September 7, 2018.
Charles lived in northwest Houston and graduated in 1942 from Ball High School in Galveston, Texas. He entered the service on February 5, 1943. He served in the Army Air Force in the European theater of WWII. During his service he was awarded the Purple Heart and Good Conduct Medals. He flew as a radio operator on a B-24 Liberator Bomber as part of the “Carpetbagger’s” mission. He parachuted from a crippled Bomber over France and was held as a POW in Germany for one year. He received an Honorable Discharge for his service in 1945.
The GI Bill allowed Charles to attend Rice University and graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1950. He married Evelyn E. Petersen of Galveston on June 30, 1951. They were married almost 60 years until her death in 2009.
He was a Master Electrician in the City of Houston, a Life Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and a Registered Professional Engineer for the State of Texas. He was employed by Brown & Root/Halliburton for thirty-four years. Charles was the Lead Electrical Engineer on many industrial installations throughout the world including the initial phase of the NASA Johnson Space Center. When he retired in 1987, he was the Manager of the Electrical and Instrumentation department.
Charles was an active volunteer in the Oak Forest neighborhood and Houston throughout his adult life and received many awards for his hours of service. He was involved with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. He was a very active member of the Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital for 25 years. He was a member of St. James Lutheran Church since 1956. He was very active and served in various capacities including assistant minister, user, teller, and the church council and many other committees. Charles was also a member of the President’s Council for Lutheran Social Services. His hobbies were fishing, gardening, crafts, reading, cooking and pysanka eggs.
He is survived in his immediate family by his daughter Carolyn Cernik Weaver of Las Vegas and his son Charles Curtis Cernik of Yuma Arizona and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his child Cheryl Elaine, his parents and his five brothers and sisters.
In lieu of flowers, we request donation to St. James Lutheran Church in Houston, Upbring/Lutheran Social Services or your favorite charity. Services will be held at Resthaven Chapel, (13102 North Fwy, Houston, TX 77060) on Saturday September 29 at 10 a.m. with graveside service to immediately follow. Pastor Arthur Murphy of St. James Lutheran Church will lead services.
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