Charles Eugene Woodbury
Charlie was born in LaVerkin, Utah on March 15, 1925 to Glen P. and Hazel B. Woodbury. He attended primary and secondary schools in LaVerkin, Hurricane, and Provo before joining the Marines at 17. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton and Ft Knox where he trained as a tank mechanic and driver and was assigned to the heavy machinery division. Charlie was called to active duty in 1943 and drove tanks in Guam and Saipan. In 1945 his division was deployed to the battle of Okinawa where he was part of the 6th Division's invasion. After the Japanese surrender he was deployed to Beijing before being honorably discharged from service.
Charlie finished high school in Hurricane after the war and enrolled at Branch Agricultural College in Cedar City through the G.I. Bill where he met the love of his life, Joan Jones. He was a fine athlete, playing football, basketball, and baseball in addition to boxing all through high school and college. He and his three brothers Wes, Darwin, and Gail won the Utah Brothers Basketball Championship with the help of their Uncle Max. Charlie had a formidable arm and was signed by the Salt Lake City Bees as a pitcher. He pitched professionally with the Bees for four and a half years, striking out Dom Dimaggio twice along the way (but not thrice...). Charlie and Joan married in 1952 after he received his Masters in Education at Utah State University. Soon after graduation he taught for the Morgan County School District where he coached football at Morgan High for 2 years. In 1955, Charlie and Joan decided to go to Germany where Joan had received a Fulbright Scholarship. During that year in Berlin, Charlie taught "American" English to German high school students and their first child was born there.
Upon returning to the U.S. they moved to Park City where Charlie was Principal of Park City High for 10 years. He owned the Blue Church on Park Ave during this time; which they painted blue (from white) and used it for hosting artists and summer art events; it was also during this time that their other two children were born. He also bought an old school bus from the Park City School district when they moth-balled it for safety reasons (there was some concern about using it to transport children with its vacuum-assist brakes), painted it blue, converted it into a camping bus, and took his family on many memorable (and at times hair-raising) adventures. In 1968 he bought Trout Creek Boat Camp on Strawberry Reservoir; which he subsequently operated for 16 years until Strawberry's flooding by the CUP. Charlie then became a fishing guide at the Frontier Fishing Lodge on the Great Slave Lake in NWT Canada which he did every summer for 25 years. He retired in 2008 at the age of 83.
Charlie loved life and knew how to live it - with fearlessness, fierce independence, integrity, and on your own terms. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed it as much as possible throughout his days on this earth. Charlie especially loved being out on the water and fishing with his father, brothers, children, grandchildren, and his many friends. He had a great wit and wry sense of humor and even after his health failed and he moved to the Salt Lake Veterans Home, he always managed to find moments of great humor and joy.
Charlie passed away peacefully in the afternoon on June 5th. He is survived by his wife Joan; his sons Todd (Heidi) and Jeff (Debbie); his daughter Jena (Casey Jarman); his two granddaughters Cali and Lauren, which he adored; and his older sister Glenna Boden (Lake Havasu, AZ). He lived a rich, full life and he will be sorely missed by all.
A memorial celebration will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2015 from 6-8 pm at the Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City, with a tribute starting at 6:45 pm. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (Charlie's favorite charity...), or another non-profit organization of your choosing.
The family wishes to thank everyone at the Veterans Home and VA Hospital for their care of Charlie during his stay.