Charles Richard Short

THERE ARE SO MEMORIES OF CHARLES AND NICOLE, WAY TOO MANY TO WRITE ABOUT.

I REMEMBER THE VERY FIRST TIME HE KNOCKED ON THE FRONT DOOR FOR NICOLE AND WEARING THAT" STOCKING HAT" AND NOT SAYING A WORD.  I WOULD GIVE CHARLES A HARD TIME ABOUT THAT NIGHT,  ESPECIALLY AFTER WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND GREW CLOSER AS MY SON-IN-LAW.

 

REMEMBERING CHARLES AND NICOLE TAKING LIL LANE OUT SHOPPING WHEN HE WAS JUST A LITTLE TODDLER AND THE NOISEY TOYS--REMEMBER THE GUITAR WELL, WE STILL HAVE IT AND AUSTIN PLAYED WITH IT AND NOW LIL DYLAN.

 

OH SO MANY MEMORIES.  THE TIMES LANE WOULD STAY WITH NICOLE AND CHARLES AND TAUGHT HIM HOW TO PLAY ON THE PLAYSTATION.

CHARLES LETTING LIL LANE RIDE ON THE SURF BOARD IN NAGSHEAD.

 

CHARLES DID LEAVE ALOT OF MEMORIES FOR US TO CARRY IN OUR HEARTS.

 

 

AFTER LIL AUSTIN WAS BORN AND CHARLES CARRYING HIM THRU THE HALL FOR THE FAMILY TO SEE THE BABY. THE PROUD, WONDERFUL LOOK OF HAPPINESS ON HIS FACE WILL BE IN MY MIND AND HEART FOREVER.  CHARLES WALKED BABY AUSTIN OVER TO ME FOR ME TO HAVE THE SPECIAL NANNY LOOK.

 

OH THE MANY TIMES CHARLES WOULD SPEND WITH AUSTIN AND SHARING HIS KNOWLEDGE AND TEACHING AUSTIN WAS WONDERFUL.  CHARLES WAS A VERY GOOD FATHER TO AUSTIN.

 

OH THE TIMES LANE WOULD STAY WITH THEM AFTER AUSTIN WAS BORN.  CHARLES STILL MADDE SPECIAL TIME WITH LANE.  EVEN TODAY LANE TELLS ME HOW HE MISSES CHARLES AND LANE GETS TEARY EYES.

 

I KNOW I CAN GO ON AND ON.  I CAN IMAGE CHARLES LOOKING DOWN ON US AND SMILING AND TELLING ALL OF US HE MISSES US.

 

CHARLES WAS A GREAT SON-IN-LAW AND WONDERFUL HUSBAND TO NICOLE AND LOVING FATHER TO AUSTIN.

I'll never forget the Mothers Day that Charles brought his Aunt Kathy a card and flowers.  The card had written on it "To my Second Mommy"  Love Charles.  Terri I cannot tell you how much it meant to me that you shared so much of your Charles time with me.  Many a Saturday I would call you and ask what are you up to today and you would tell me the usual cleaning.  I would ask if Charles could go running around with me and you could get our cleaning done faster.  You always replied yes.  I loved those Saturdays.  I also loved our bike rides.  I would put Charles in the Toddler seat and off we would go to Lincoln Park to feed the ducks, throw pine cones into the water, and sing songs as we biked the streets of old Vap.  We would always stop at the Jr Fod store and get an Icee before returning home. 

When Charles was in school he would come to stay with Granny Dunn and me before and after school.  Many a morning I was awaken by his sweet face about 4 inches from mine.  With a smile you could not deny he would ask Aunt Kathy "Can you make me pancakes for breakfast?"  

Charles loved his Granny Dunn's cheeseburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches.  He would tell her that she made the best cheeseburgers in the world.  He also loved his Granny Dunn's Pound Cake.  My most proudest moments of Charles was the December before he left us Charles mom, my sister Terri sent me a plane ticket to come visit and meet Austin.  My last memories of Charles and proudest were at that time seeing him as a dad and husband.  Watching him playing and loving on Austin and seing the love and care he had for Nicole.  Charles loved life, loved people, and loved his family.  He is will always be with me in my heart.  Nicole and Austin I love you and wish the miles were not so many betwen our homes so I culd spoil Austin too! 

Love, Aunt Kathy

  I just found a picture the other day of Charles at our first house.  His cousin Jonathon is sitting on a big rocking horse dressed as Zoro and Charles and his other cousin Nick are behind him.  I remember how  he loved to play with my children,Jonathon and Shelley.  It didn't seem to matter to him their age difference.  He loved to be around kids. You could already tell he would make a wonderful dad.   We made a trip to Virginia one summer.  Now having teenagers, I appreciate more the time he took to spend with his cousins and go on those sight seeing trips.  My best memory is having Charles stay with Lee and I when he was wow-maybe 7??  Not sure.  We didn't have kids-just married-Terri you were crazy to trust us!!  But now I look at my son Jonathon and see so many of Charles' mannerisms.  Thank you God for the little time we had.

When we were kids, I was always the little one trying to tag along, but who could never keep-up.  I wanted to do what Micha and Charles were doing and instead of leaving me behind, Charles would carry me around piggy-back style, up and down the mountain at Grandma's and Grandpa's.  When he lived across the street in Valparaiso, he taught me how to pitch a baseball there in his front yard, with a black square spray-painted on the fence.  I remember spending countless Saturdays at the ball parks, watching him play baseball.  As we all grew older and there was less romping around the mountain-side or treehouse-building (I wonder if our treehouse at the base of the hill in North Carolina is still there...), Charles still made sure that he had time for me, asking how school was and what I was up to.  With Nicole and I pregnant at the same time, he was full of questions and knew how to brighten my days.  At times, I wish we could turn the clock back to those summer days in the arcade at the Santa Rosa Mall, but know that moving onward and upward is our best option...

Leave memories... WOW there are so many! i don't even know where to begin. Charles was my cousin, brother, n best friend. no matter what i knew he was always there for me.  i remeber take'n gpas 22 rifle and shoot'n at the bee hives i remember jump'n on the lawn chair and then get'n in trouble we was always up to something. i remember Teenage Mutan Ninja Turtles, i was Michalangelo and he was Donetelo.... :)  as adults i knew that it didn't matter what was going on in my life or his i could depend on him. and i know there are many that feel that way. Charles was a special someone that u don't find often. I miss him every day but also thank GOD everyday for the time we did have. i don't understand y HE took him but I trust GOD knew what he was doing and i know I WILL see him again.