Charles Paskel Brothers Sr.

Published 8:34 am Monday, September 24, 2018

July 30, 1932 – September 14, 2018

Charles Paskel Brothers Sr. died at his home in Salem, OR, Sept. 14, 2018, after extended poor health. He was born on July 30, 1932, to Nannie Abercrombie and William Wilkes Brothers Jr. in Greenville, SC.

Charles enlisted in the U.S. Air Force when he was 17 years old and at 18 was serving in the Korean War with the 221st Troop Carrier Sqdn. (M) Maintenance and Supply Sections, “the Kyushu Gypsies.” During a brief break in service he made his home with his sister and brother-in-law, Thelma and Charles Ross, of Grayland, WA. Subsequently, he was selected for pilot training, and had soloed in the T-6 “Texan” before an infection in his left eye eliminated him from the program. He continued to serve, primarily as an avionics technician, including in the Vietnam War, until his retirement in 1970, when he moved his family to Bend. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business from Southern Oregon University, he worked for 10 years for the State of Oregon Employment Service in Bend and Salem.

His subsequent retirement years have been dominated by his love of aviation through reading and watching movies, critically spotting inaccurate identification of aircraft by the Hollywood Studios. He also devoted a large amount of time to caring for family members during their times of need.

On June 22, 1957, Charles married June Esternaux Scott, who grew up on the Scott Ranch in Sage Hollow, Crook County, OR. They had four children.

Survivors, besides June, include daughters, Sandra Brothers M.D. and her husband, Michael Holub M.D., Dallas, TX; and Capt. Lorna Zeigler (USAFR Ret) and her husband, Art, Salem, OR; and daughter-in-law, Lt. Col. Heidi Brothers (USAF Ret.) Golden, CO; grandchildren are Stacy Brothers, Los Cruces, NM; Scott Brothers and wife, Rebecca, Jackson, WY; Dwight Brothers BSN/RN and wife, Jacqueline, Salem, OR; Cadet 3rd C Vance Holub, US Air Force Academy, CO; Charles Holub, Dallas, TX; Lauren Zeigler BSN/RN, Beaverton, OR; A1C Samantha Zeigler, Oregon Air National Guard, Corvallis, OR; and step-granddaughters, Cheryl Holub BSN/RN, Portland, OR, and Gina Gibbs BSN/RN, Bartlesville, OK. Charles is also survived by his siblings, Jack Brothers and wife, Jean, Greenville, SC; and sister, Virginia Neely and husband, Jerry, Greenville, SC; and numerous nieces and nephews, including Cheryl Chittenden and husband, Jim, Reno, NV; and Barbara Mobray and husband, John, Reno, NV.

Charles was preceded in death by sons, Lt. Col. Charles P. Brothers, Jr., USAF, and Theodore Edwin Brothers; as well as brothers, Alton, Ted, Raymond, Edwin, Otis and Francis; and sisters, Thelma Ross and Juna Bee Hughes.

Graveside services with military honors will be conducted by Deacon Charles Hughbanks of the First Baptist Church of Prineville on Oct. 6, 2018, at 10:00 am, at Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville.

Gifts in memory of Charles may be made to the Disabled American Veterans, 100 SW Main St., Portland, OR 97204. Assisting the family is Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.