Charles Houston Ling II of Yreka passed away at Fairchild Medical Center on Aug. 29, 2007. Charles was born on Nov. 5, 1926, at the Siskiyou County General Hospital in Yreka, Calif. to Charles Houston I and Pearl Janet Ling. Preceding him in death were his parents Charles Houston and Pearl Janet Ling. Chuck married Jeanne Hallmark of Grenada in the old Methodist Church on Oct. 12, 1952. He is survived by his best friend and wife of 55 years, Jean; his daughters Janet and husband Butch Holland, Janine Betts and Brett Kimball; son Charles Houston Ling III; grandchildren Shannon and wife Jennifer Gallagher, Ryan and wife Becka Betts, Rachelle, Keshia, Kalina, and Joseph Betts, and Glenn Ling; great-grandchildren Brody and Sydney Gallagher and Tyler Betts-Carlson.
Chuck attended grammar school and a couple years at Yreka High School, then later moved to Burbank and graduated from Burbank High. He entered the service in the fall of 1944 while earning credits for high school. His mother received his diploma for him. Chuck was a ship store keeper on the USS Fall River 131. His rank was Seaman first class E-3. He served in the Marshall Islands, Operation Crossroads Bikini Atoll 1946, Atomic bomb experiment receiving four metals.
After the service Chuck moved back to Yreka in the summer of 1947 and worked for CDF he was based up at the Hornbrook station. He worked for Safeway and joined the Yreka Fire Department in January of 1951 and retired 50 years later in 2001, he then became a Charter Member of the Elks Lodge, also a Life Member of the Elks Lodge in 1980. He entered the Sons of the American Legion at a young age. He later became Commander of the American Legion Ross Neilon Post 122 and was still serving as Commander. He joined the drum and Bugle Corp. in 1950 playing his Bugle for 50 years.
After working at Safeway he worked at Turner and Sons on Miner Street, and later opened his business Modern Floors with partner Loren Cummins, with 39 years of business. He was a Miner Power president in the 1970s. He was also with the Siskiyou County Arson Task Force Team. He was instrumental in getting the Fire Hall Museum building and fire trucks restored and memorabilia for the museum. Chuck worked hard with others to start the Veterans Section of Evergreen Cemetery. Chuck will be best remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather. He always took the time to attend all of the grandkids sports, 4-H and school activities. He was a wonderful fisherman and hunter. He enjoyed working in his yard.
He was well known for his wonderful smile to everyone he met and no one was ever a stranger. Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sept. 5, 2007, at the Methodist Church in Yreka. Graveside service will follow at Evergreen Cemetery.
Donations can be made in his memory to the Veterans Section of the Evergreen Cemetery, or to the Charles Ling II Fireman Scholarship Fund.
Siskiyou Daily News (Yreka, CA) - Thursday, September 13, 2007
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