Charles Andrew Boatman

Charles Andrew Boatman celebrated his 89th birthday in October and passed away January 7th in the Memorial Hospital in Ormond Beach after several years of illness. His wife of forty years, Ethel, was at his bedside. Charles was born on November 26, 1924 in Dallas, Texas, and the only child of Henry and Edna Boatman. He attended grade school there and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School when he was sixteen with two scholarships for sports and music. His parents divorced about this time, and he was unable to use either of them. Instead, he moved to Los Angeles with his mother and joined the Navy. He was admitted to a three years training program and obtained his license for Multi-Engine Land and Sea. He was assigned to the South Pacific and flew the large seaplanes carrying sounded hospital patients and nurses back to the states. When the war ended he returned home but never lost his love for flying and owned five planes during his lifetime. Charles enrolled at Southern California University using the G.I Bill to complete his education. He enjoyed being in the marching band and playing the clarinet, as he had many years earlier in high school. He moved to San Diego and finished his education graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the San Diego State University. He was employed by an accounting firm and audited some of the large firms in a booming business while studying and passing tests for his CPA degree. Charles was hired to setup the accounting system for a small company just getting off the ground called Travel Lodge. He stayed there for three years and accumulated a great deal of stock in the company before buying his first motel in Encino, California. He did, however, become the largest minority stockholder as the company grew prospered. He settled in Atlanta, built two successful motels there and enjoyed touring the southern states in his airplane selecting sites and negotiating their addition to the chain. Charles sold all his motels and retired when he was forty-four. He wanted more time to play golf and smell the roses. However, he got bored and began investing in some commercial real estate, but he never really went back to work again, and now after continueing health problems, he has retired permanently to that great kingdom in the sky. However, he will always be remembered in the hearts of us who have loved him. Good night dear Charles.