The third of four children, Henry and Leong-She Jung welcomed Charles on Nov. 23, 1927 in Schenectady, New York. At around 9 years of age he, along with the rest of the Jung family, returned to China to escape the Depression in 1937 where he remained until the age of 18. The family owned and leased a large tract of land and it was thought that Charles would eventually take over the land; however, he decided to join his father and brothers who had returned to the United States a few years prior. Upon his return to the States, he received his Associate’s Degree at SUNY College, then graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Miami in June of 1961.
Charles led an interesting and successful career employed first as a draftsman in aeronautics with Sikorsky, then he worked with various design teams at Lockheed, GE, PanAm, and NASA. Special projects he was assigned to included the design of the C130, the instrument control panel on the Apollo1 (1967), as well as collaborating in the design of the instrument panel for helicopters at Sikorsky. He finished his illustrious career with Miami-Dade Pollution Control and then as Project Manager at Miami-Dade Aviation at the Miami International Airport. He retired in 1998 to pursue his personal hobbies.
During his retirement he enjoyed his pastime of farming full-time. He managed 22 acres of various exotic fruit trees ranging from avocado, plantains, longan, lychee, jujubes, soursop, sugar apple, mamey, and bamboo shoots. For a number of years he was active on the Rare Fruit Council and Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida. He also enjoyed his second hobby of fishing. Due to his lack of sea legs, Charles would fish off the shores of Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami or any of a number of bridges down in the Florida Keys. When his family grew with the addition of spouses and grandchildren, he purchased a family vacation home in Big Pine Key where he enjoyed many great times with his family and friends and unforgettable memories were made.
Charles is predeceased by his parents, his son Francis, and his siblings: Mimi Chin (Don); Lenwood Jung (Juana) and Robert Al (Mary). He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Maria Josefa Jung whom he married in Havana, Cuba in 1955, and children, Kevin (Debra), Susanne Valdes (Ed) and Cecilia Jung as well as his grandchildren who adored him: Ryan, Lauren, Gabriel, Nicholas and Marissa.
A Mass in his honor will be held at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Davie, FL on Monday, March 1, 2021, at 11 a.m. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the family will host a celebration of his life at a later date. In lieu of flowers you may donate to the Glaucoma Research Foundation in memory of Charles Jung.
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