Charles F. Ryberg

PLYMOUTH — Retired Waltham deputy fire chief Charles F. Ryberg, of Plymouth and formerly of Waltham, died Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008, in his home. He was 84.

Born in Waltham, son of the late John and Mabel (Smith) Ryberg, Charlie was appointed to the Waltham Fire Department on Feb. 4, 1947. He was promoted to fire lieutenant on June 21, 1953, promoted to captain on March 9, 1963, and became deputy fire chief on May 7, 1972. He retired on Sept. 25, 1981, after 34 years of dedicated service to the fire department and to the city of Waltham.

Charlie served with the Navy during World War II aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lexington CV-16. The Lexington joined the Fifth Fleet at Pearl Harbor after it was commissioned in February 1943. During the war, the carrier participated in nearly every major operation in the Pacific Theater and spent a total of 21 months in combat. Her planes destroyed 372 enemy aircraft in the air and 475 more on the ground. She sank or destroyed 300,000 tons of enemy cargo and damaged an additional 600,000 tons. The ship's guns shot down 15 planes and assisted in downing five more. The Japanese reported the Lexington sunk no less than four times! Yet, each time she returned to fight again, leading the propagandist Tokyo Rose to nickname her "The Blue Ghost." The name is a tribute to the ship and the crew and air groups that served aboard her. After the war, Charlie helped to co-found the U.S.S. Lexington CV-16 Blue Ghost Association.

After retiring from the fire department, Charlie drove for the Waltham Bus Co. for 17 years. He was a former coach of the New York Giants of Waltham's Little Nippers League, and he also coached for the Northgate Colts and Main Street Auto of the Stan Musial/Inter-City League.

During high school, he played on the Waltham High School championship hockey team in 1941 and 1942. In his spare time, Charlie enjoyed fishing, golfing and woodworking, especially creating his "birds." He enjoyed all Boston sports teams and was a Boston Patriots season ticket holder for many years. He was also very involved in local and national politics. Always an active man, he became, at the age of 79, one of the oldest recipients of a kidney transplant.

Charlie was a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local No. 866; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 953; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2152; the Joseph F. Hill American Legion Post No. 156; the Knights of Columbus, Council No. 147, all of Waltham; and the Gov. David I. Walsh Assembly, 4th Degree Knights of Columbus.

He leaves his wife of 62 years, Marie E. "Jan" (Roach) Ryberg; five children, Mark J. Ryberg and his wife, Debbie, of Stuart, Fla., Glenn D. Ryberg and his wife, Val, of Marlboro, Donna M. Lexander and her husband, Jimmy, of Waltham, and Patty Marqus and her husband, Rocky, of Waltham; six grandchildren, Jennifer and Sandra Englehart, Courtney, Scott, Shawn, Lillian, and Charlie Ryberg; three great-grandchildren, Zoey and Rayna Butler and John Englehart; and many nieces and nephews. Charlie was the father of the late Allen Ryberg and brother of the late Paul Ryberg, John Ryberg and Ann Waugh.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral at 9 a.m. Monday, from The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main St., Route 20, Waltham. A funeral Mass follows at 10 a.m. in Saint Mary's Church, 133 School St., Waltham. Burial will be in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. To offer condolences online, please visit www.joycefuneralhome.com.