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Announcing with sadness and fond memories the passing of Charles Leo Wyndham Jr. (Charlie) on February 2, 2020 at the age of 86 surrounded by his family and, of course, his loving dog Henry. He is survived by Sylvia, his wife of 31 years, his children, Kurt, Charles III and Cara, his stepchildren Juan, Liza, Sandra and Cristina, his sister Ianthe, 15 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
Born in 1933 in Chicago, Illinois to Charles and Ida Wyndham, Charlie was one of 2 children. He graduated from the University of West Virginia in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science in Geology. He was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
After a stint in the Army Reserve, where he attained the rank of Captain, Charlie went to work for Phillips Petroleum as a Field Geologist. Phillips sent him around the world searching for oil in places such as Tripoli, London, Bogota, and Lima to name a few. All the while raising a family with his first wife JoAnn. Promoted time and again Charlie ended his career with Phillips Petroleum as the Vice President, Worldwide Exploration at the Phillips Petroleum home office in Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1992 after a career spanning 35 years.
Upon "retiring" from Phillips Charlie and Sylvia lived a footloose and fancy-free life, living in such diverse locations as Houston, Pagosa Springs, Albuquerque, Pecos, Flat Rock and finally Charlotte. They traveled extensively including an around the world trip. Charlie also discovered a second career when Sylvia bought him art lessons for his birthday on a whim. He was a natural and became quite an acclaimed artist in his own right.
The following was submitted by his eldest son Kurt and captures the true
essence of the man and how he will be missed. A life well lived.:
Charlie
was a man of many roles, talents, and accomplishments. Frankly, too many to
adequately name and represent thoroughly…son, husband, father, grandfather,
great-grandfather, student, athlete, dancer, military man, coach, mentor,
geologist, manager and artist. He was a man of many hats, all of which were
worn proudly, with confidence and precision. He was a man of great integrity
and attention to detail, from his days as an army captain to his storied and
traveled career with Phillips Petroleum, to his beloved second career as a
successful artist. He was a fierce competitor belying his overall reserved
demeanor. His understated sense of humor, his corny jokes and occasional
penchant for playful mischief were traits we will talk about and cherish
forever. We cannot forget his lifelong passion for his dogs. His last dog,
Henry, was by his side during his final moments. He was, simply put, a
wonderful man who quietly molded us into the people we are today. He is gone
from this earth, but will NEVER be forgotten. Rest in peace, daddy…you will
be missed.
A celebration of life will be held in the near future. Charlie loved dogs all his life and in lieu of flowers the family requests that a donation to your local animal shelter would be a fitting tribute to his memory.
Published in Examiner-Enterprise from Feb. 9 to Mar. 8, 2020
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