Charles Furcy

Charles Furey of Little River, California died peacefully on Christmas Day. Although he had been in ill health lately and his death was not unexpected, we mourn his loss and gratefully acknowledge his long and wonderful life. His enthusiasm for living and determination to overcome any obstacle were life-long traits that served him in good stead over the years. Sadly missed by daughters Carol and Cornelia. Beloved by five grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, and many dear relatives, neighbors, and friends. Predeceased by wife Barbara, daughter Antonia, son Martin and dear friend Mrs. Heidi Altvater.

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Charles was born in 1923, eldest of the five sons of Charles and Jennie Furey, last surviving brother of Joe, Ed, Bern, and Jack. He was proud of his Irish Catholic heritage. The ability to tell an engaging story at family dinners being highly valued in his family, he was advised early in life to have a story handy if invited to dinner. Preparing a story in advance, Charlie always kept pen and paper handy, ready to scribble scraps of stories whenever they would pop up. Memorization and recitation of poetry studied in primary school helped with his delivery. He was a brilliant storyteller.

Graduated from high school in 1941, enlisted in the U.S. Navy the next year, trained as an aviation radioman. Suffered life changing injuries when his plane crashed on take-off in the Solomon Islands. Spent a year recuperating in Navy hospitals where he received skin grafts for painful burns. He served from August 1942 to September 1945.

Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1950, transferred to California to work at SFO in passenger service and scheduling. Started a second career as a planning analyst for city, county, and state agencies in northern California. A resident of the Mendocino coast since 1975, he and Barbara were proprietors of Nature Revealed, a nature and science book and gift shop in Fort Bragg.

Stories he wrote and read aloud as a student in a creative writing class at the local community college became the framework for a memoir about his life in the U.S. Navy during WWII. “Going Back” was published by the Naval Institute Press and by the University of Nebraska. While writing this book, Charles, as he described it: “emptied his mind of its jumbled thoughts, sorted them out, and put down on paper his recollections of those far away, but never-to-be-forgotten days.”

His ashes will be scattered at sea off the Mendocino coast he loved so well. A private formal gathering of the family will be scheduled for a future date. Donations in his memory may be made to the following organizations which Charles supported and whose work he greatly admired:

Parents and Friends, P.O. Box 656 Fort Bragg, CA 95437 or https://www.parentsandfriends.org;

Mendocino Coast Clinics, https://mendocinocoastclinics.org/donate

Albion-Little River Fire Protection District, P.O. Box 634, Albion, CA 95410 or https://www.alrfpd.com/donate-today