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Charles L. “Charlie” Courtney, 97, of Bryan, passed away at his home on Monday, November 20, 2017. He was born on June 23, 1920 in West Jefferson Township to Louis E. and Effie M. (Housman) Courtney. He attended a one room school house, West Jefferson School, for his elementary school years. He graduated from Montpelier High School in 1938. On July 20, 1941.
Charles married Helen Tingle in Montpelier and she preceded him in death in 2001. He honorably served his country in the United States Army Air Corps, attached to the Signal Corps during WWII, serving in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. He was in Headquarters Company repairing teletype machines and maintaining planes. He also attended the University of Florence, Italy, for a semester.
He was an accomplished trumpet player starting in high school, and played in a band at Hamilton Lake. He also played with various dance bands during and after the war, and played with the Montpelier “old timers” band, performing at various community events for many years.
Charles worked as a mechanic for his father’s business, L.E. Courtney & Sons during his early years until 1963. He also worked for Mohawk Tools in Montpelier for 11 years as a maintenance mechanic, and retired from General Tire in 1985 after working there for 10 years. After retirement he went to work for C.E. Electronics in Bryan where he worked for 30 years. Charles was a member of Montpelier Masonic Lodge for 67 years, during which time he served as Knight of the York Cross of Honor and was a 32nd Degree Mason. He was a lifelong member of the Montpelier V.F.W.
Charles is survived by his three sons, Larry (Geromina) Courtney of Defiance, Terry Courtney of Springfield, Ohio and Garry (Dawn) Courtney of Bryan; six grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; three great great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Helen Courtney, brother, Louis E. Courtney, Jr., sister, Jessie Courtney, daughter-in-law Connie Courtney, and grandchildren Scott Ellis and Stacy Carlin.
Visitation for Charles will be held on Friday, November 24, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Thompson-Geesey Funeral Home, Empire Street Chapel in Montpelier. Funeral services will follow at 1:00 at the funeral home with Pastor Scott Carlin to officiate. Interment will follow at Shiffler Cemetery in rural Bryan with military honors presented by the Montpelier Veterans. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to Visiting Angels.