Charles Manuel Yanez

Charles Manuel Yanez Katy - Charlie, Chaz, Brown, Coach Charlie, Pop, Dad, Papi, Rick- passed away on Thursday, June 8th of 2023 at the age of 68. He was born on June 30th, 1954 in Havana, Cuba. Throughout his childhood and young adulthood in Corpus Christi, Texas, Charlie developed a bond with the outdoors and a strong sense of family: central values that would remain consistent throughout his life. A natural-born fisherman, he regularly cast his line into the bay down the street from his childhood home, spent time hunting quail and raising cattle with his father, Carlos, at the family ranch, and loved water skiing with his sister, Elsie, and brother-in-law Mandy. Charlie and his mother, Elsa, never missed the Dallas Cowboys games on Sundays- their devotion never seeming to waver despite how terribly they played.

After earning his degree in Geology, Charlie became an avid collector of rocks, fossils, seashells, and geodes. His collection documented his many travels and adventures around the world. He met Diane, the love of his life and mother to his four children, in 1982 and together they created a warm, loving home in Katy, Texas. Passing on his competitive spirit and zest for life, his children- Alicia, Zack, Tara, and Michelle-grew up in an active household alive with sports, games, laughter, and fun. He shared his spiritual path his family during heart felt conversations while on camping trips, on hikes through "the forest", and during their time with Second Baptist Church. His children always poked fun at their father's fascination for creatures such as Bigfoot and the Chupacabra, but also earnestly loved his open-hearted curiosity towards life's mysteries.

Charlie's professional career spanned more than 35 years in the oil and gas exploration industry. The majority of that time was with WesternGeco where he held numerous supervisory and managerial positions. His strength in operations and sales earned him the respect of clients, contractors, and employees alike.

In retirement, his love for fishing and spending time with his family continued to grow. Taking his dog Roxy, his wife, children, and grandchildren out on his fishing boat to explore and embrace the beauty of the Texas Gulf Coast was a point of pride for Charlie who was always generous and eager to share his passions with those he loved. He also found joy in gardening, playing golf and tennis with his wife and friends, traveling, cheering on the Astros, and cooking delicious fish dinners. Always a very spiritual man, he was a long-time member of Second Baptist Church.

Charlie is survived by his mother Elsa Yanez, his wife of 40 years Diane Yanez, daughter Alicia Ferguson, son Zachary Yanez and his wife Jessica Yanez, daughter Tara Yanez, daughter Michelle Yanez and her fianc?e Kyle Gregor. Charlie will be deeply missed by his sister Elsie DeLeon and brother-in-law Mandy DeLeon along with his numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws. His legacy will also be carried on by his four grandchildren Ashton, Camryn, Cody, and Wesley.

Our family would like to give a special thanks to the crew at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel who helped Charlie's family and friends during the time of his passing. Our family is extremely grateful that Charlie left his physical body doing what he loved: taking in the natural beauty of the ocean.

We love you Papi- you are deeply missed. The depth and strength of your character as a father, grandfather, husband, son, and friend will live on through all who were lucky enough to know you.

Celebration of Life ceremony TBA. To honor Charlie's memory, please make contributions to one of his favorite organizations: Coastal Conservation Association at https://ccatexas.org/donate/ or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html.