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On March 6, 2017, the spirit of Charles Ray Settles passed into the hands of the Lord at the age of 97. Charles was born in the west Texas town of Big Spring on December 3, 1919 to Burr H and Rosa Dossie Settles (nee Holder). Charles grew up in Big Spring and enlisted in the Army in 1940. After training in various locations in the United States, he was transferred to the 5th Air Force, 433rd Troop Carrier Group, 69th Troop Carrier Squadron operating in Australia and New Guinea. His service in the Pacific earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross. Charles met his future wife Louise E Femia in New Guinea where she served in the Women’s Army Corps. They were married in Manila, Philippine Islands on June 9, 1945. At the end of the war in the Pacific, they returned to the U.S. and settled in Ft Worth, Texas to begin their family. They had two children, Charles Ray Jr (1947) and Judith Lee (1951). Charles Ray reentered the service in 1947 at Carswell AFB, Texas in time to become part of the newly created United States Air Force and trained for combat crew duty. Eventually he was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 7th Bomb Wing (H) and in 1952 he was transferred to the 15th Air Force, 92nd Bomb Wing (H) at Fairchild AFB, near Spokane Washington. In 1958, he was relieved from flying status, promoted to SMSgt and reassigned to the 6927th RDM Squadron on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. In 1961 he was transferred to Kelly AFB, San Antonio, TX. Charles retired from active duty in 1964. He subsequently entered Civil Service at Kelly AFB performing repair of radio, avionic and other electronic equipment for an additional 10 years. Charles Ray was an active member of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church in San Antonio, TX for over 45 years. He served on numerous church committees and boards, sang in the church choir and was generally one of the ‘go-to fix-it guys’ for the church Charles was the last of his generation for the Settles family. He is survived by his son Charles Ray Settles, Jr. and wife Pat, daughter Judith Wade and husband Mike; daughter in law Donna Lindsey Settles; granddaughter Kathleen Settles Horejsi and husband Frank; grandson Thomas Robert Settles and wife Cynthia and their children Matthew and Charles; Rachel Settles Moore and husband William Tyler Moore III and their children Ashlyn, Madelyn and Merilyn; grandson Scott Ray Martin and wife Aimee; Kathryn McVey and husband Kent and their children Michael and Matthew. Visitation will be held at Mission Parks Stone Oak Funeral Home on Thursday, March 16, 2017 from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. Graveside service will be held at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery on March 17, 2017 at 9:30am. Graveside service will be very brief due to constraints of the national cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, 4114 SW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227, office phone 210 673 0000.

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Charles Ray Settles

December 3, 1919 - March 6, 2017