Charles Armin Minger

Charles A. Minger, 86, a former resident of the Vernonia community, late of Keizer, Oregon, passed into the presence of the Lord, Wednesday afternoon, May 13, 2009 at the Oregon Health Sciences University Hospital in Portland, Oregon. The family wishes to express their deep appreciation to the dedicated doctors and nurses in the Trauma ICU for their excellent care of Charles. CHARLES ARMIN MINGER was born July 18, 1922 in Biel, Switzerland, the son of Emil and Rosa (Michel) Minger. Charles, aka Papa, Charley, Dad and Chuck, came to America at age one, and received his U.S. citizenship on April 25, 1949 (age 26). Coming to America, Charles came first to Scofield, Oregon then to Vernonia where he attended school. He was united in marriage to Dessie Irene May on July 1, 1941 in Vancouver, Washington. Following their marriage they resided in Vernonia community, where Charles worked first in the woods on a rigging crew, and then went to work at the Oregon American Lumber Co. mill until its closure in 1957. He then drove fork lift for Kaiser-Gypsum mill in St. Helens for the next 24 years. In 1979, they moved to the Scappoose community, then finally to the Keizer community in 2000, where they have resided since. Charles and Irene would have celebrated their 68th Wedding Anniversary July 1st. He was a lifetime member of the UBCJA Local Union 2961. Charles had many interests, including hunting and fishing. He was a master craftsman, and would fix anything given to him. His hobbies included making coffee tables and clocks out of driftwood, display cases; and most recently, collecting and polishing rocks. Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Irene; two daughters and husbands, Diana and Marion Knoll and Kathy and Jim Eckland all of Keizer, Oregon; a son Steve and his wife, Susan Minger of Vernonia, Oregon; 6 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and Irene's 6 brothers and sisters whom he loved as his own. In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to the food bank of your choice, or to the children's center at Salem Evangelical Church, 455 Locust St. N.E., Salem, Oregon 97301, where Charles attended.