Charlie Hon III
Charlie had been in declining health, so during that time he penned his following obituary:
Charles O. Hon III died Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, at his home on Longholm Court.
He was born in Union City, Tenn., his mother’s home, the first child of Charles O. Hon Jr. and Mary Nelle Morson Hon on Aug. 4, 1944. When World War II ended and his father was discharged from the Army Air Corp, the precursor to the U.S. Air Force, his parents moved to Chattanooga, his father’s home and he has resided here ever since.
He attended elementary schools in Chattanooga and was graduated from The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tenn., in 1963. He then attended Vanderbilt University where he met his future bride the first week of their freshman year, and they dated all four years until they were graduated in 1967 and he made the former Emily Ann Eliot (Ann) his wife in a ceremony in Houston, Texas. He and Ann moved to Birmingham, Ala., after a honeymoon in Mexico and he commenced law school at Cumberland School of Law where he was graduated in l970 with a J.D. degree. He took and passed the Tennessee Bar Exam and began his career in Chattanooga as a partner with his father. He also began work for The Title Guaranty and Trust Company of Chattanooga, where he remained until his death.
He became active in the title insurance industry and its associations and served on the Board of Directors and as President of the Tennessee Land Title Association in 1979 to 1980. He was later honored as an Honorary Member. He was named by the Tennessee Commissioner of Insurance to serve on a Blue Ribbon Committee to rewrite the title insurance law for the State of Tennessee, and was always very proud of that endeavor. His work with the American Land Title Association and his wife’s graciousness with the leaders’ wives resulted in his being asked to take a very active role in the association. That resulted in his being nominated to the Board and later as an officer in line for the Presidency. He was elected and served as President in 1988-1989 and was only the second Tennessean to serve in that capacity and was the youngest ALTA President to date by 7 years.
He has enjoyed his membership in Chattanooga Golf and Country Club, where he served as Secretary for many years and was a member of the Mountain City Club and Sam’s Club. He enjoyed a good, if not unusual, sense of humor which on many occasions irritated his wife and his granddaughter, much to his delight. He loved to play golf and fish until he got too old, and that left him with cards as his only hobby. For 30 years he followed Baylor wrestling and made many friends with the wrestlers and their parents. He loved the way Baylor wrestled and their “warrior” mentality. He was a Christian and enjoyed his membership at First Centenary United Methodist Church, although he was apt to backslide for extended periods and be very remorseful. He was blessed to have along with his wife two wonderful children, Charles O. Hon IV, “Chad” and wife, Sarah Bender Hon and daughter, Emily Nelle Hon, who have given him much pleasure and much to brag about. He used to enjoy boating with them and their friends until they got their drivers licenses and did not need or want him along anymore. Chad and Sarah gave him grandchildren, Mary Alexandra Hon Huffaker, “Alex,” and Charles O. Hon, V, “Charlie.” Alex and Charlie have proved the truth in the old adage: “The idea that no one is perfect is a view commonly held by people with no grandchildren.” They have both given him so much joy and so much pleasure, and they are one of the things that he will miss the most in departing this world.
He was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother, Philip Morson Hon.
Survivors include his wife, Emily Ann Eliot Hon; children, Charles O. Hon IV (Sarah Bender Hon), and Emily Nelle Hon; grandchildren, Mary Alexandra Hon Huffaker (Bobby Huffaker), and Charles O. Hon, V; sisters, Mary Kathleen Hon, Susan Hon Rollins (Charlie Rollins), and Jennifer Hon Bacon (Jeff Shoop); and multiple nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee or to a charity of your choosing.
A celebration of Mr. Hon’s life will be 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, at First Centenary United Methodist Church with Reverend Linda McDaniel officiating. Following the service the family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club. Interment will be private.
Honorary pallbearers include, John Tanner, Sandy Huffaker, Brian Kopet, Mike (Bull) Durham, Lex Tarumianz, Speedy, Time Out, and John W. Johnson.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com.