Charles

Below is Charles' obituary. Mary came back to the house today and she is looking bruised, but beautiful. She is one of the most amazing women I know. This obituary really represents Charles well. you can see the original on www.chron.com



CHARLES KNOX ALFORD November 30, 1992-February 13, 2009 CHARLES KNOX ALFORD, beloved son and brother, passed away suddenly on February 13, 2009, as a result of a truly tragic car accident. Charles, age 16, was the son of Mary and Gene Alford and the adored little brother of John and Bess. Charles was born at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas on November 30, 1992. He was the third child, the cherished baby of the Alford clan and he grew up encompassed by the love of his family. Charles, known as "Charlie Bear" by his family and "Chico" by his friends, was a kind, loyal and exuberant young man. Charles always had a smile on his face and greeted everyone he met with a happy, positive outlook and warm spirit. He was loved by all who had the honor of knowing him. Charles was a sophomore at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston, Texas. Prior to attending Strake Jesuit, Charles was a longtime student at Annunciation Orthodox School, which he attended from preschool through eighth grade. At Strake Jesuit, Charles was a proud member of the choir and an enthusiastic team player on the lacrosse team. Charles' favorite sport was lacrosse and he was passionate about the sport. He position was "attack" and Charles was on his way to a lacrosse tournament in College Station, when he succumbed to the car accident. Charles was also a proud member of the engineering club and was on the team that recently won the State Engineering Championship. It was Charles' dream to graduate from Strake Jesuit and attend Texas A&M University with his older brother John and older sister Bess. Charles wanted to grow up and be an engineer. He had just been planning his entire high school course schedule with his mother, Mary, so that he would be prepared for Texas A&M one day. He wanted to follow in the family tradition of going to A&M, where Mary and Gene were also graduates. Outside of school, Charles was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas. Charles was a member of the youth group and the Church held an important place in Charles' heart. He participated in two mission trips each summer with the Church, because it was his belief that the work they did was integral to the lives of others. That spirit of giving back to others was a driving force in Charles' life. He was a Life Scout in Boy Scout Troop #55 and scouting was also important to him. In the summers, Charles attended Kanakuk Kamp in Lampe, Missouri. He was a six-year camper and could not wait to go back to camp each summer. Charles also loved to be with his family in the outdoors. He looked forward to family trips at Glacier National Park and he loved to be in the outdoors of Montana. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to hunt with his father, Gene. However, it was the time spent with his family especially in the past year that defined the noble character of Charles. When Gene became paralyzed a little more than a year ago in a tractor accident, Charles never wavered from his father's side. Charles displayed the integrity of a man much older than himself in the time he would take with his father and the care that he gave him. Charles did everything for Gene, from helping him get dressed to pushing his wheelchair. Charles would spend his evenings doing homework and then share meals and memories with both his mother and father. In the mornings, Mary would take the three family dogs, "Dubya," "Hank" and "Bean" into Charles' room to wake him up. Without fail, all three dogs would jump up on the bed and wake Charles up to a new day. The three Alford siblings were as close as any brothers and sisters could be. Over the years, John, Bess and Charles shared the love of their family, admiration for one another and lots and lots of laughter. Mary, Gene, Bess and John loved Charles with all their hearts. There are no words to describe the loss of Charles. He will be achingly missed by all who knew him and loved him. Also grieving for the loss of Charles Alford are his maternal grandparents, Annette and John Long and paternal grandparents, Phyllis and Landon Alford. Charles will also be greatly missed by Norma Salmon, who has worked with the Alford family since Charles was born. When he was a baby, Norma took Charles to the Zoo every single afternoon to see the animals. The Alford family will take Charles and bury him in the family plot in Henderson, Texas. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, February 18th at 2 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 5300 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77004. There will be a reception in Fellowship Hall following the Memorial Service. Donations in Charles' memory can be directed to First Presbyterian Church in care of Charles Knox Alford, for youth mission trips. On his keychain, Charles had the Bible verse, "Fear not for I am with you," from Isaiah 41:10. The Alford family would like to thank everyone for keeping Charles in their prayers and hearts.