Charles Dayton Crites was born in Potosi, Missouri on March 26, 1931, the youngest child of Clarence Dee Crites and Mabel Sparkman Crites. After his father died suddenly in 1933, his widowed mother raised her five young children in Farmington, Missouri, where she worked as a cook at the State Hospital. Dayton, as he was called then, grew up across the street from the hospital grounds. When he was in high school, the family moved to Salem, Illinois. At Salem High School he was recruited, mostly because of his height, by the music teacher to perform in the school operetta productions. There he met the love of his life, who was the piano accompanist for singing practice.
While he was serving in the Air Force in South Dakota and she was finishing college in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Charles and his sweetheart married in Wichita Falls, Texas. After he was discharged from the service, they settled in Oklahoma City to raise their growing family of six children. They eventually owned and operated several retail toy stores there. When Charles became the sales manager for a national label company, the family moved to Birmingham, Michigan so he could accept a promotion to manage the company. Later, he started his own company and moved to Concord, California in 1984. He became involved in the Turtle Creek Homeowners' Association and especially loved overseeing the maintenance of his beloved Turtle Creek Park and its ponds. All the neighbors knew him as "the good guy in the white hat." He was a prolific photographer and delighted in taking photos locally and while traveling to Mexico, Costa Rica, Michigan, Florida, and many other destinations. He was also a poet, writer and highly entertaining storyteller.
Charlie was a devoted husband, a loving and encouraging father, and a wonderful affectionate grandfather, or "Bupa," as he was called by all. Although he never became one of Jehovah's Witnesses himself, he was extraordinarily supportive of his wife's ministry and enjoyed associating with the Concord South Congregation for many years.
Charles fell asleep in death on May 22, 2021 in Concord, California. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, two sons and four daughters and their spouses. He also leaves thirteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Maschal; brothers, Joseph Crites, Carl Raymond Crites, and John Oliver Crites; and an infant son, John Clarence Crites in 1954.
While he was serving in the Air Force in South Dakota and she was finishing college in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Charles and his sweetheart married in Wichita Falls, Texas. After he was discharged from the service, they settled in Oklahoma City to raise their growing family of six children. They eventually owned and operated several retail toy stores there. When Charles became the sales manager for a national label company, the family moved to Birmingham, Michigan so he could accept a promotion to manage the company. Later, he started his own company and moved to Concord, California in 1984. He became involved in the Turtle Creek Homeowners' Association and especially loved overseeing the maintenance of his beloved Turtle Creek Park and its ponds. All the neighbors knew him as "the good guy in the white hat." He was a prolific photographer and delighted in taking photos locally and while traveling to Mexico, Costa Rica, Michigan, Florida, and many other destinations. He was also a poet, writer and highly entertaining storyteller.
Charlie was a devoted husband, a loving and encouraging father, and a wonderful affectionate grandfather, or "Bupa," as he was called by all. Although he never became one of Jehovah's Witnesses himself, he was extraordinarily supportive of his wife's ministry and enjoyed associating with the Concord South Congregation for many years.
Charles fell asleep in death on May 22, 2021 in Concord, California. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, two sons and four daughters and their spouses. He also leaves thirteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Maschal; brothers, Joseph Crites, Carl Raymond Crites, and John Oliver Crites; and an infant son, John Clarence Crites in 1954.
Charles Dayton Crites was born in Potosi, Missouri on March 26, 1931, the youngest child of Clarence Dee Crites and Mabel Sparkman Crites. After his father died suddenly in 1933, his widowed mother raised her five young children in Farmington, Missouri, where she worked as a cook at the State Hospital. Dayton, as he was called then, grew up across the street from the hospital grounds. When he was in high school, the family moved to Salem, Illinois. At Salem High School he was recruited, mostly because of his height, by the music teacher to perform in the school operetta productions. There he met the love of his life, who was the piano accompanist for singing practice.
While he was serving in the Air Force in South Dakota and she was finishing college in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Charles and his sweetheart married in Wichita Falls, Texas. After he was discharged from the service, they settled in Oklahoma City to raise their growing family of six children. They eventually owned and operated several retail toy stores there. When Charles became the sales manager for a national label company, the family moved to Birmingham, Michigan so he could accept a promotion to manage the company. Later, he started his own company and moved to Concord, California in 1984. He became involved in the Turtle Creek Homeowners' Association and especially loved overseeing the maintenance of his beloved Turtle Creek Park and its ponds. All the neighbors knew him as "the good guy in the white hat." He was a prolific photographer and delighted in taking photos locally and while traveling to Mexico, Costa Rica, Michigan, Florida, and many other destinations. He was also a poet, writer and highly entertaining storyteller.
Charlie was a devoted husband, a loving and encouraging father, and a wonderful affectionate grandfather, or "Bupa," as he was called by all. Although he never became one of Jehovah's Witnesses himself, he was extraordinarily supportive of his wife's ministry and enjoyed associating with the Concord South Congregation for many years.
Charles fell asleep in death on May 22, 2021 in Concord, California. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, two sons and four daughters and their spouses. He also leaves thirteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Maschal; brothers, Joseph Crites, Carl Raymond Crites, and John Oliver Crites; and an infant son, John Clarence Crites in 1954.
While he was serving in the Air Force in South Dakota and she was finishing college in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Charles and his sweetheart married in Wichita Falls, Texas. After he was discharged from the service, they settled in Oklahoma City to raise their growing family of six children. They eventually owned and operated several retail toy stores there. When Charles became the sales manager for a national label company, the family moved to Birmingham, Michigan so he could accept a promotion to manage the company. Later, he started his own company and moved to Concord, California in 1984. He became involved in the Turtle Creek Homeowners' Association and especially loved overseeing the maintenance of his beloved Turtle Creek Park and its ponds. All the neighbors knew him as "the good guy in the white hat." He was a prolific photographer and delighted in taking photos locally and while traveling to Mexico, Costa Rica, Michigan, Florida, and many other destinations. He was also a poet, writer and highly entertaining storyteller.
Charlie was a devoted husband, a loving and encouraging father, and a wonderful affectionate grandfather, or "Bupa," as he was called by all. Although he never became one of Jehovah's Witnesses himself, he was extraordinarily supportive of his wife's ministry and enjoyed associating with the Concord South Congregation for many years.
Charles fell asleep in death on May 22, 2021 in Concord, California. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, two sons and four daughters and their spouses. He also leaves thirteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Maschal; brothers, Joseph Crites, Carl Raymond Crites, and John Oliver Crites; and an infant son, John Clarence Crites in 1954.
Gravesite Details
Charlie was cremated and ashes scattered. Veterans marker (Cenotaph) at Sparkman Cemetery.
