Joe Henry Charles Obituary

Joe Henry Charles attended Bay City High School in Bay City, TX. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Joe Henry Charles.

Graduation Year	Class of 1968
Date of Passing	Mar 10, 2016
About	Joe Henry Charles was born on November 18, 1949 to parents, Henry R. Charles and Katy Acosta Charles in Bay City, Texas (Matagorda County). Joe was their first- born and eldest of 5 siblings that followed. Mr. Charles attended Bay City ISD schools and was a 1968 graduate of Bay City High School. He was a band member from 6th grade through high school and played the cornet. He was a member of the famous Bay City “Black Cat Band”, under the direction of Mr. Baron & John Reinke. He was also a star player on the Bay City Black Cat basketball team. He played major little league ball in the 10-12 yr. old bracket. His coaches for the “Cardinals” team were Odie Sweeney and Joe’s father, Mr. Henry Charles. During the last year of playing little league, his father Henry got his own team and became head coach of the “Giants” who became the #1 rivals of the “Cardinals”. But, all in all, remember, “it is not whether you win or loose, it’s how you play the game”! The Giants were the Champions. Joe was a good sport and respected the game because of what he was taught by those two great coaches who gave every boy the opportunity to give little league baseball their best, practice and play hard. Which brings this to the fact that Joe was a big fan of the Houston Astros, for the love of the game! After graduating from high school in 1968, Joe had the opportunity to and with interest by West Point for consideration of enrolling there. But Joe told his mother Katy, he wanted to join the Army at the time. And he did although Mrs. Charles worried because it was during the “Vietnam Era”. He shipped out to basic training, was trained and stationed at Ft. Gordon, GA., Ft. Sill, Ok., and Stuttgart, Germany. Joe trained in the Signal Corp -communications -preparing documents and typed nearly 120 wpm. After he was honorably discharged, Joe went back home and attended Wharton County Junior College, Wharton, Texas. Soon after, he became employed at Southwestern Bell telephone Company in Houston, Texas. Joe received an award from a local Houston training corporation and was recognized as an exemplary and model student and spoke on behalf of the training center who helped to increase accuracy and perfection of his skills. So the doors were opened for a better job and was hired for a couple of years at Peat, Marwick & Mitchell, a top notch accounting firm, now known as KMPG. He kept on moving up as a skilled data processor and later applied to work for Andrews & Kurt Law firm, also a top company in the law industry in Houston. Although Joe was a very good employee, his health was not doing well as he was getting close to retirement. Mr. Joe H. Charles retired after 27 years of service with the law firm. His time employed counting the US Army was 35 years in the workforce. He is to be commended for a job well done. Joe Henry Charles was preceded in death by his Mother, Katy Acosta Charles, grandparents; Luis & Conception Charles, Baldomero & Estella G. Acosta, all from Bay City, Texas. Also by his in-laws; Eulalio (Lalo) & Jean Sandoval of Houston. He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Yolanda Sandoval Charles, sons; Robert Charles, Michael Henry Charles, both of Houston, Luis Charles of Needville and Joel Charles (Jaime) of Pittsburg, PA, Brother; Daniel Henry Charles (Laura) of Lake Jackson, Sisters; Ella Vargas (Arnold), Carolyn Martinez (Tony), Rita Charles Schnur, all of Bay City, and Henry Ann Charles (Valerie) of San Antonio. He adored and loved his grandchildren; Adriana, Jordan, Aliah, Alex, Jullianna, Brooklyn and Analisa. Joe was a big fan of the Houston Astros, Houston Texans, Houston Rockets and enjoyed fishing and going with his wife Yolanda on fun trips to Coushatta Resort and other resorts in Louisiana. Joe will be deeply missed and remembered as a loving husband and father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, cousin, brother-in-law, son-in-law and good friend. But most of all, Joe had a way with jokes that he mostly wrote and created on his own - a standing comedian, per say. He kept people laughing and his smile was contagious!