Charles Dunham

Charles Ray Charlie Dunham, longtime resident of the Red Rock and Ponca City area, passed Thursday, July 23, 2009 in Ponca City. He was 77. Charles was born June 4, 1932 in Chickasha, Oklahoma, the son of V.R. Dunham and Lura L. Roberts Dunham. He was a 1950 graduate of Red Rock High School. He married Helen Coleen Hayes on May 17, 1951 in Ponca City. Charles entered the United States Army in 1952, serving stateside in Washington D.C. during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1953. The couple then moved to Wichita, Kansas where Charles was employed with the Boeing Aircraft Company. The couple then returned to the Red Rock community in 1959. Charles began employment with Conoco in 1966 and had worked 25 years for the company upon his retirement in 1992. After his retirement, Charles was employed as a contract mail carrier out of Ponca City. He was a member of the Newkirk First Baptist Church, the Masonic Lodge of Red Rock and the Red Rock Sportsman Club. His enjoyments included OU football and basketball; St. Louis Cardinal Baseball; watching his grandchildren play their sports at Frontier High School; antiquing and in earlier years quail hunting. Charles is survived by his wife, Coleen, of the home; one daughter, Pam Regnier and husband, Larry, of Ponca City; one son, Tony Dunham and wife, Marsha, of Bartlesville; one brother, Phil Dunham and wife, Pat, of Durant, Oklahoma; one sister, Verna Butler and husband, Walter, of Middletown, Tennessee; his sister-in-law, Charlene Dunham, Waxahachie, Texas; five grandchildren, John Regnier, Joshua Regnier and wife, Lindsey, Jeremiah Regnier and wife, Courtney, Kaley Warren and husband, Steve, and Bethany Nave and husband, Bradon; numerous nieces and nephews; other extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Robert Bob Dunham. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. on Monday, July 27, 2009 at Grace Memorial Chapel. The family will be holding private graveside services. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, 1904 North Union, Suite 103, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74601.