Charles Michael Ethridge, 52, of Woodland, Washington, died Friday, May 10, 2019 in Washington.
Funeral services were held 2:00 P.M. Friday, May 17, 2019 at Calvary Baptist Church with Bro. Terry Skinner and Bro. Hayden Hatfield officiating.
Graveside services with military honors were Monday, May 20, 2019 at Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Larry Childs, Jason Buth, Eric Groothoff, Michael Ethridge, Leldon Childs and Josh Webster.
Chad Hodgson served as an honorary pallbearer.
Charles was born January 31, 1967 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma to parents Tommie Severne Ethridge and Lottie Catherine Orand Ethridge.
He attended Fairfield schools until the family moved to New Braunfels, Texas where he graduated from Canyon High School in 1986.
Charles joined the United States Army in 1989 and served until 1995. He completed his infantry training at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He was rated as expert on the M4F missile, and grenades and was a marksman with the M16A1 rifle. He was proficient on map reading, MIT schooling on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Charles was based out of Ft. Hood, Texas and was deployed overseas to the Gulf War where he served three tours. He then volunteered to stay and train new soldiers. Charles returned the States and served two years in the Army Reserves.
During his time in the Army he also was a driver for a General. He was a guard for the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice at the Michael Unit and at Beto 1 & Beto 2.
For a period of time he was a ceremony coordinator at the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery. Charles was a life member of the VFW Post 5872 in Fairfield and Fairfield Lions Club.
Charles and wife Marla started their journey in life together on July 3, 2010 with a tie-dye wedding surrounded by all of their friends and family. They lived in Fairfield until 2016 when they took a two week long sightseeing trip to reside in Woodland, Washington.
Charles was an outdoorsman who loved nature. He loved outdoor cooking, camping, traveling, kayaking and floating down the river.
He was a family man and family always came first.
Military standards stayed true with Charles. He cared for veterans like they were his family. Chaz had a servant’s heart and would do anything for anybody.
In addition to his father he was preceded in death by numerous uncles and one aunt.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife Marla; his mother, Lottie Catherine Orand Ethridge; two brothers, Tommie Lynn Ethridge and wife Donnetta; David Wayne Ethridge and wife Lindsay; two daughters, Amber Lehman Hatfield and husband Hayden; Cheri Lehman Emmert and husband Jace; three grandsons, Hezekiah and Dallas Hatfield; Brighton Lehman along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.
To view an online obituary, send a personalized sympathy card, or leave the family a personal tribute, please visit www.cappschapel.com
