Charles Fredrick "Chuck" Dawdy

1940 - 2010

Charles "Chuck" Fredrick Dawdy died of natural causes on November 17, 2010 at the age of seventy. He joined his father, John Ralph Dawdy and his mother, Dorothy Evelyn Dawdy who preceded him in death.

Chuck was born in Hanford on April 2, 1940. He was the second of four children born to Ralph and Dorothy Dawdy who settled in Lemoore in the late 1930's. Chuck attended Lemoore Elementary School and Lemoore High School, graduating in 1957. He attended the University of California-Berkeley, where he joined the NROTC, then transferred to Fresno State. He lived in Fresno and Visalia, working for the Welfare Department until he retired in 1985, moving to Lemoore to be able to care for his ailing mother.

Chuck never married and has no direct descendents, but he leaves behind his sister, Jean Fetterhoff currently residing in Morro Bay, his older brother Dick who lives in Long Beach and his younger brother, Bob who lives in Fountain Valley.

Chuck's niece, Shari Fetterhoff-Bacci and his nephews, Scott Fetterhoff, Grant Dawdy, John Dawdy, Jeff Dawdy and Jim Dawdy remember very fondly his attempts to teach them to play Chess or Bridge and they remember with humility his sharp memory when playing Trivial Pursuit, or his keen sense of gamesmanship while playing Risk. Scott mentioned recently that even when Chuck removed all but two or three Chess pieces from his side of the board, he still beat Scott. Bob remembers a game of Chess at Christmas time one year where it was neck and neck to the end, with Chuck being victorious. Bob says it was his best Chess game ever. Grant fondly remembers his favorite Chuck saying: "I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous."

Chuck was an avid puzzle fanatic. He enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, the bigger the better. He loved watching game shows on TV matching his wits with the contestants. But his overall greatest recent joy was watching his beloved Giants take the World Series. He talked for hours about their progress.

Chuck loved to travel and spent many happy hours traversing the mountains of California, and the Western Rockies. He loved family camping trips, especially Sample Meadows above Huntington Lake where he would sit for hours playing Cribbage or Bridge if he could round up the players.

We could always count on Chuck to call with some obscure geographical question or puzzle about one of the United States, relishing in the outcome. His most recent query to his sister was to name the sport where the defense always has control of the ball.

Those wishing to remember Chuck may wish to contribute to the American Diabetes Association, 5160 N. Fresno St., #101, Fresno, CA, 93710 in his name.

At his request, there will be no services and he will be cremated.

Arrangements are under the direction of Phipps-Dale Funeral Chapel in Lemoore.