Charles Watts

01/05/1980 - 07/07/2025

Charles Elliott Watts, 45, of Winnemucca, Nevada, passed away unexpectedly of cardiac arrest on July 7, 2025. Born in Portland, Oregon, Charles grew up in Lake Oswego, where he attended Lake Oswego High School. As a young boy in the fifth grade, he discovered The Hobbit, a book that sparked a lifelong fascination with mining. By the next summer, he was planning a road trip with his aunt and uncle to explore ghost towns and old mines in Colorado - an early sign of the passion that would guide his life's work.
In high school, Charles was a four-year letterman in cross country and track, and played trombone. He also coached Special Olympics teams, even learning golf so he could serve as an assistant coach when needed. He graduated from the Mackay School of Mines, University of Nevada, Reno in 2004 with a degree in Mining Engineering, beginning a career that took him from the gold mines of Nevada to six years in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Australia, where he was the only American living and working in the historic goldfields. When asked what he learned while working in Australia, he said: "Always take good care of your crew."
As a mining engineer, Charles had a gift for seeing both the big picture and the smallest details. He worked with teams to plan where and how a mine would grow, making sure every step was safe, efficient, and respectful of the land. He took genuine joy in solving complex problems underground - figuring out better ways to move air, water, and ore - and was happiest when his ideas made life easier and safer for the crews he cared so much about. His colleagues remember him as creative, collaborative, and deeply committed to doing things the right way. Outside of work, Charles was active in the Episcopal Church, finding meaning in being part of a faith community.
Charles is survived by his parents, James and Karen Watts; his brother Andrew Watts, Andrew's wife Kathryn, and their children Alex and Claire; and many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death just weeks earlier by his brother Peter, with whom he now shares eternal rest.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Episcopal Parish in Lake Oswego, Oregon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UNR Foundation, 1664 N. Virginia St., Mailstop 0162, Reno, NV 89557 (referencing "Charles Watts Memorial Fund" on the check) or to Healthy Beginnings, Concord Hospital Trust, 250 Pleasant St., Concord, NH 03301, in Charles' memory.