Aug. 14, 1934 – Sept. 29, 2022
Col. Charles Jackson Dutton, USAF (ret.), died peacefully Sept. 29, at Harbor Hospice in Lake Charles, La. Dutton (Charlie) was born Aug. 14, 1934, in the community of Anson County, N.C., to Marion Battle Dutton and Dorothy Irene Rayfield Dutton.
Charlie graduated as the valedictorian from Deep Creek High School at age 16. He furthered his education at NC State University, graduating with a BS in 1955 at age 20. As an ROTC graduate, he taught English for one year at his former high school before entering the U.S. Air Force. He also received his master’s degree in business while in the service.
Charlie was committed to military service and country. He served at bases in Fairbanks, Ark.; Fargo, N.D.; North Hampton, Long Island, N.Y.; Mexico Beach, Fla.; Bangor, Maine; Fargo, N.D.; Karat, Thailand; Camp New Amsterdam, Netherlands; Soesterburg, Germany; Kaiserslautern, Germany; and Syracuse, N.Y., – rising from Navigator to Base Commander during his 28-year career.
After retiring from the USAF in 1983, Charlie possessed a unique skillset that made him professionally sought-after in the USA and abroad. He chose to work overseas as Head of Operations over the building of a military city in the desert of Saudi Arabia, near the border with Kuwait. After that project, he led construction of a new airport in Dhahran, moving on later to Riyadh.
In 1993, Charlie and his wife returned to the United States to spend 10 years in Houston, Texas, before settling in Lake Charles, La.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion and Dorothy Dutton; a brother, Marion Donnie Dutton; and a sister, Gail Dutton Preslar.
He leaves behind his wife, Marcia Feldes Dutton, of Lake Charles, La.; three children, Laura Lynn Byrd (Gary) of Germantown, Tenn., Steven Charles Dutton (Melody) of Locust, N.C., and Scott Andrew Dutton of Candler, N.C.; two sisters, Judy Dutton Poulnott of Wadesboro, N.C., and Kathy Dutton Carroll (Joel) of Hudson, N.C.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.
Memorials may be made to the home church of his early years – Long Pine United Methodist Church, 8834 HWY 109 S, Wadesboro, NC, 28170.