CHARLES ALFRED SPECHT
1928-2021
Charles Alfred Specht, 93, passed peacefully in his sleep on July 12, 2021. Charles was born March 3, 1928, in Henderson Co., NC, to Celia Herman and Holger Johan Specht, a Danish immigrant. Charles was the youngest of four children: John, Arthur, and Agnes (Duncan) each of whom predeceased him.
Charles’ Father passed when he was three months old and his Mother passed when he was a teenager. He graduated from Flat Rock High School and shortly thereafter was drafted by the Army during the Korean War where he attended boot camp at Ft. Polk, Louisiana and was assigned to Ft. Bliss in El Paso. Charles returned to North Carolina to marry Betty Jean Newman, who lived a mile down the road. Her brother, Clyde was one of Charles’ best friends.
Charles and Betty settled in El Paso where he enrolled at Texas Western College, now the University of Texas at El Paso. He studied mathematics, chemistry, and physics while working at the Chevron refinery, first as a fireman and then in the laboratory. Betty gave birth to their son Gary while living in El Paso. Charles graduated from Texas Western in 1959 and was hired by International Business Machines. The family moved to Houston, Texas where Charles worked on the Texaco account at IBM. After their arrival in Houston, Betty gave birth to their daughter Ona Rae.
The Specht family lived in Westbury from 1961-1969. In the spring of 1969, they moved to west Houston where they fell in with the best neighbors one could ever hope for: the Pephens, the Hopsons, the Gays, and the Montgomerys. These five families hosted games of Gin, Hearts, Tripoley, and May I, to name but a few, along with many dinners, holidays, and happy hours. These neighbors were like family.
Charles left IBM and began working at Gulf Oil in the Data Center, which merged with Chevron. Charles and Betty took advantage of Betty’s job at Saudi Arabian Airlines traveling to Denmark, England, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Peru, Japan, Philippines, South Africa, Nepal, and Canada along with many other countries. When not travelling, Charles and Betty took every opportunity to dote on their 5 granddaughters.
Charles was predeceased by his wife of nearly 50 years, Betty and is survived by his
son, Gary Specht, daughter, Ona Rae Lazarine, and son-in-law Kirk; his granddaughters LeEtta Specht, Lydia Specht, Coby Lazarine Nelson, and husband Derek, Leticia Specht Keiser, and husband Derrick, and Callie Lazarine, and fiancé Luda Zemrau; and his great grandchildren Charlotte Specht, Zayden Keiser, Ari Leyva, and Ronnie Jo Nelson.
The Family wishes to thank Charles’ Drs. Richard Pohil and Randall Morris. The Family also sincerely thanks the care he has received from The Abbey at Westminster Plaza: Jeny, Maria, Chef, Juan, Austin, Steve, Jena, Ashley, Susan, Enrique, Janice, Deborah, Wande and the other devoted caregivers; and Fairmont Hospice: Monique, Anniecia, Niduh and Sheretha.
At Charles request there will be no service, his ashes will be laid to rest with his wife Betty’s at the Houston National Cemetery.