BAXTER, Charles E. (Charlie)

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, Sunday, July 06, 2014 Charles E. Baxter, born Oct. 26, 1923, in Henrietta, Okla., passed away on June 3, 2014, at the age of 90. He attended elementary school in Santa Rita, N.M., and high school in Clifton, Ariz. He graduated in 1942 from Hurley High School near Santa Rita. He attended UNM in Albuquerque majoring in architectural design and joining the naval ROTC. He enlisted in the regular navy in December 1942 and was trained to be a machinist. He served on the escort carries, the USS Midway and later on the USS Kitkun Bay in the Philippines Campaign. He married Harriet Frank in 1945, and settled in Albuquerque, N.M., where he worked for Standard Oil of Texas from 1947 until his retirement in 1981. After his first wife died, he married Emily Moberg Matkovich in 1975. In 1983, they moved to Prescott, Ariz., to be near Emily's daughter and family. They enjoyed traveling the country in their RV for over 20 years. Charlie's hobby was woodworking and he spent all of his life building furniture and completing remodeling projects for family and friends. Charlie was a member of the Prescott Elks Lodge #220 and an Elk for 50 years. He oversaw many of the expansion and remodeling projects for them and The Baxter Room at the lodge is named after him. He was instrumental in helping get "Bill" the elk statue relocated back to the top of the Elks Theater in Prescott, and he built the wall display case for the remodeled Elks Theater lobby in downtown Prescott. He also designed and built the math trophy cases at Prescott High School, and won Best of Show at the Yavapai County Fair for his dollhouse and furniture. One of his most memorable experiences was traveling with Honor Flight Arizona to Washington, D.C., with several other World War II Veterans to visit the World War II Memorial there. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph William Baxter and Alta Flora Baxter; his sisters, Wilma Hauser and Joanna Reeves; his first wife, Harriet Frank Baxter; and his second wife, Emily Matkovich Moberg Baxter. He is survived by his sister, Glorietta Alvernaz (Bob); his daughter, Susan Baxter Carbine (Art); his son, Jonathan Paul Baxter (Rachael); his stepdaughter, Sherry Baca (Ed); nine grandkids; and 10 great-grandkids. Burial will be 9 a.m. Saturday, July 12, 2014, at Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott. A memorial service will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2014, at the Prescott Elks Lodge #330, 6245 E. 2nd Street, Prescott Valley, Ariz. Donations may be made in remembrance of Charlie to Prescott Elks Lodge #330, 6245 E. 2nd Street, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314-3520; Honor Flight Arizona, P.O. Box 12258, Prescott, AZ 86304; or Alzheimer's Association Desert Southwest, 1028 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006-2622. You are invited to log onto www.ruffnerwakelin.com to sign Charlie's guestbook and share a memory with the family. Information provided by survivors.