Dr. Charles Richard Tinguely

 

Dr. Charles Richard Tinguely, age 95, entered into eternal rest on Friday, August 11, 2023, in El Paso, Texas. He was a wonderful son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and will be greatly missed. 

Richard was born in El Paso on September 1, 1927. He attended Coldwell Elementary School. He entered the working world at the age of 14 when he placed an ad in a children’s magazine selling miniature dinosaurs. The customers would soon receive a matchbox with a horned toad inside. The venture was a raging success until one day the neighborhood inventory was depleted. He attended Austin High School and worked after school through D.E.C.A, a program that he later supported by sponsoring and employing high school students in his own practice. He met Marguerite as a teenager and would try to get her attention by walking past her house on his hands like he was taking a Sunday stroll. It must have worked as they married November 23, 1949. 

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in both World War II and The Korean War as a Navy Hospital corpsman. Richard attended Rice University and The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston. He began his dentistry practice in El Paso in 1959. He enjoyed getting to know his patients over the years and they got to hear many of his adventurous stories as they were a captive audience.

His first love was reading, always a book in hand. He built vehicles and other inventions as a child in his dad’s workshop. At the age of 12 he built a makeshift airplane that he test flew to the horror of his parents. As an adult he built his children small electric cars and doodle bugs, he also built kit cars, an airplane, and his retirement home all on his own.

He enjoyed hang gliding as well as flying his planes and gyrocopter. He often took his kids on these adventures with Margeurite as co-pilot. Always one to help a stranded traveler, he once flew Johny Cash out of El Paso in a rainstorm, and Dan Blocker of Bonanza fame on an impromptu flight.

His most fulfilling role was that of Papa to his many grandchildren. He built Rancho Sosegado as a place where his grandchildren could run barefoot, fish, ride horses, stargaze, and enjoy nature and each other. He created countless memories for all of them. 

He is preceded in death by his parents Roy Tinguely and Gertrude Frigaard,his brother Roy Tinguely Jr and his loving wife Marguerite Tinguely. He is survived by his brother Don Tinguely and his his nine children;  Michael Tinguely, Paul Tinguely (Kay), Thomas Tinguely, Diane Roberts, Sharon Rivera, Bridget Smith, Michelle Gibson, Erich Tinguely and Marsha Perreault; his wonderful grandchildren; Heather Tinguely, Anthony Owen, Tiffany Goetz, Aaron Helbert, Sarah Whited, Sibyl Walker, Andrew Tinguely, Claire Serpi, Robert Chacon, Gwendlyn Rivera, Brian Gibson, Brandon Gibson, Bridget Gibson, Austin Tinguely, Elliott Tinguely, James Perreault, Erich Perreault, and his 16 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by many extended friends and family to cherish and honor his memory. 

Services are entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home-West, 480 N. Resler Dr. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Richard Tinguely’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association.