Charley Nelson

Charles William Nelson was born at Saint Joseph Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday, May 12th 1931 to Marion Morgan Nelson and his father Bill Nelson. Charley Bill died peacefully in his early morning sleep on New Year’s Day, 2017, at his home of 60 years, on Carole Lane in Glendale. Charley Bill was the grandson of Arizona’s early pioneers, Essie (Harrington) and John (Jack) Nelson; Elizabeth (Lee) and Charles Champie. Charley’s father, Bill Nelson was born in Crown King in 1900, his mother Marion Morgan, was born at the Ora Bell in 1904. Their first born son Billy (Charley Bill’s brother) died at 18 months from whopping cough. Charley’s sister Frances was born in 1928. It was, but a gleam in his folk’s eye when three years later, Charley Bill was born. Charley’s first home was in New River. When Charley Bill was a toddler they moved to Tip Top, which is in the Bradshaw Mountains. His Dad was having trouble with his lungs after working in the gold mines of Crown King and decided to raise a herd of Angora Goats in Tip Top so he would be out in the fresh air and desert sunshine. They were living a good life at Tip Top when his Dad was offered a job in 1934 to help build the fire lookout tower at Horse Thief Basin. His dad hauled the lumber and building supplies up to Horse Thief by mule. When the kids wanted to see their dad his mother would saddle up the horse, put Charley’s sister Franny in front on the saddle, then put little Charley Bill in a morral (feed bag made from a gunny sack), sling it over the saddle horn and head up the mountain from Tip Top for an eight mile ride to visit Charley Bill’s Dad. The next few years of Charley Bill’s life was spent in Crown King where he would help milk the cow then take the milk down Mossy Creek to sell the milk to the neighbors for 5 cents a bottle. Charley went to school in a one room school house in Crown King for a couple of years before moving down to Glendale. He enjoyed his early days in Crown King, telling many stories how he spent his younger days. Charley’s Dad took a job at Central Arizona Light and Power Company which became, Arizona Public Service. The Nelson family bought property in Glendale and built a home at, 43 West D Avenue. Charley attended Unit One Grade School, he then went to Glendale High School and graduated in 1950. During his high school days he played football, ran track and boxed. He was part of the Glendale Cardinal Royalty and for his senior year was voted Student Body President. As the President , Charley represented Glendale High at a three day Student Government Conference and was able to extend his visit so he could spend the next two months seeing the sights of New York City while staying with his Uncle Lou Nelson. A big city for such a small home town boy! Charley Bill served his country in the United States Airforce. He was stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale. Then he went to Phoenix College for two years, during that time he was part of the Rodeo Club. Coming from a family of life long cowboys with ranches he was always a cowboy at heart. He won several championships as a Bareback Bronc Rider and as a Calf Roper. In later years, Charley participated in The World’s Oldest Rodeo in Prescott during the Fourth of July. Some of the events he entered were; Wild Cow Milking, Roping and Bull Dogging. He won several belt buckles, these buckles are proudly worn by his daughters today. In 1954 Charley’s parents hosted candidates for a beauty contest in the Melon Festival. Miss Melva Lagerquist from Prescott was the lucky gal who stayed with the Nelson family down in Glendale. Charley’s Mom, Marion was supposed to take Melva to the events in town which was a part of the Festival. His Mom decided that maybe Charley Bill should chauffer Melva to the different places she needed to be at. Charley’s Mom even had Melva fix dinner one night for Charley Bill. That was probably part Marion’s plan to see if Melva was the wife for her son. Charley started courting Melva shorty there after which required driving up to Prescott to take her on a date. Melva’s parents knew there must be love between them, when Melva the former Homecoming Queen of Prescott High would wait for Charley Bill to pick her up no matter how late he was. Melva and Charley were married January 8th 1955. They spent the first two weeks of their married life in Casa Grande while Charley worked at a mine. Then they moved up to the Verde Ranch and Charley worked for his Uncle Charley Morgan as a cowboy. He then was hired to work on the Stuart’s ranch just north of Prescott. June of 1955 Charley Bill went to down to Glendale and started his career at Arizona Public Service. He got an electrical apprenticeship with APS, it was then that he met three of his lifelong friends, Pete Joachim, Roy Williams and Stan Hardt. Charley worked for APS for 32 years, during that time he worked as a Journeyman Electrician, he was on the Union Negotiating and Apprenticeship Committees. He finished up at APS as, Manager of Employee Relations in 1986. Charley was an avid fisherman and loved to go down to Sana Tomas in Rocky Point with his buddies. Good times fishing were had by all. He was also a great hunter with a dead on shot that bagged many deer, antelope and a big bear from the Blue Mountains over on the eastern side of Arizona. He brought his love of hunting to his daughters and to his grandsons. The love of our land in Arizona, and the adventure of what is around the next corner, is in all of our hearts. Melva and Charley raised five daughters, Charlyn, Joanne, Margie, Bessie and Denise. Along with these daughters they also raised many baby calves from bottles, livestock, and Thoroughbred horses that raced in Prescott and Turf Paradise. In the later years Charley turned his roping arena into a Pecan orchard by planting pecan trees. He enjoyed gardening and being out in his domain of antiques, and rare but useful junk. He would sit out at the barn and shoot the never ending Asian Doves that gathered while visiting with friends that would drop by the homestead. Charley Bill was smart, able to fix just about anything from tractors to mending a fence. He had a knack for creating some very interesting items out at his barn, and had a story to go along with it. He was a hoot! The Champie and Nelsons together became a large family, and Charley was a combination of both which made him an entertainer to all. Charley would start singing to the old tunes and tell a joke and take it to a whole new level. He loved to dance a night away and got lots of exercise because everyone wanted to dance with him. He was quick witted and loved to lift a glass with a sure hand to enjoy a drink. We had lots of family reunions and one in particular that was held up at Castle Hot Springs in the early 70’s. We referred to as a “love-in” at the old Champie school house. It was where lots of our early memories of dancing late into the night with old western music and waking up the next morning to the smell of coffee, beer biscuits in the dutch oven cooked over an open fire. Charley Bill Nelson leaves a legacy behind that he should be proud of. His wife Melva of 61 years who was a devoted mother to his five daughters, she was his best hand at managing the farm, the best caregiver, his dancing partner, and his faithful angel until his last day. He was the grandfather to 8 grandkids and 12 great grand kiddos who loved him dearly and will continue to tell some great Pops memories and stories. His nieces and nephews, whom they call their favorite uncle, and his cousins who refer to Charley Bill as their fun, happy go lucky cousin. Charley leaves many friends behind, who he has made through his lifetime, who loved him dearly and will never forget him. Charley Bill this is not goodbye but Happy Trails until we meet again. Charley is survived by his Wife, Melva, Children: Charlyn Kolb, Prescott; Joanne Nelson, Prescott; Margie (Michael) Brooks, Goodyear; Bessie Nelson, Glendale; Denise (Keith) Johns Waddell. Grandchildren: Onna Kolb Bump, Calie Jo Kolb, Carlie Nelson Hoskins, Charley Bill Nelson, Bradley Chambers, Matthew Kranitz, Cody Johns and Randi Johns Riggs Great Grandkids: Caleb and Aubrey Bump, Parker and Isla Hoskins, Sunny Mae and Cora Blue Nelson, Gavin, Hunter and Hailey Chambers, Hadyn and Macie Johns, and Bo Riggs. Numerous Champie and Nelson cousins. Charley Bill’s final resting place will be in Glendale Arizona Services: Friday, January 6, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at Resthaven Park Cemetery, 6290 W. Northern Ave Glendale, Arizona 85301 In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Charley’s name to “Better to Give” P.O. Box 7158 Phoenix, AZ www.betterto give.org