Charles Wesley Pegram

"UNCLE CHUCK racing away!" That was the call at Los Alamitos Race Track on July 4, 2020, when the thoroughbred named after Charles Pegram won the Los Alamitos Derby. It was a proud moment for this avid sports fan and long-time California resident, who passed peacefully on March 31, 2026, in Rossmoor.

Charles Pegram was born to James and Nellie Pegram, in Princeton, Indiana on February 15, 1935. He was the youngest of seven. After graduating from high school, he served in the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1958. He attended Indiana University, earning a degree in Business Administration in 1962, and then moved to California, where he worked in the aerospace and petroleum industries. He lived in Cypress, Lakewood, and San Ramon. He retired from the TOSCO Corporation in 2000 and settled in Laguna Niguel.

Charles was a big fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and attended many World Series games at Dodger Stadium in the 70s and 80s. He also followed horse racing and was a regular at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, and Del Mar race tracks. He enjoyed traveling, horseback riding, country music, and spending time with friends and family.

Charles had two children, David and Jennifer, with his first wife, Barbara. He later married Donna Nygaard, in 1990, and they remained together until his passing. Aside from his wife and two children, Charles is survived by grandchildren Brooke, Nicole, Avery, and Kamryn, and great-grandchildren, Brody and Brycen.

A private memorial service will be held by the family.