my_brothercharles.odt

June 17, 2013

My brother, Charles Horace Comfort was born to Leroy and Winifred Comfort at their home at 1497 East Valley Road, Adrian, Michigan on December 26, 1929. He was named after Grandpa Charles Comfort and Uncle Horace.

He attended Birdsall School and Adrian High School graduating in 1947. He was on the swim team in high school. He would hitch hike home after swimming and in the winter he would have icicles hanging from his hair.

He worked at Miley Radio Shop on the corner of Front and North Main streets in Adrian. He repaired radios and televisions, which had tubes in them at that time. He would go to people's houses to do some of the repair work. He would tell about finding mice or other things inside the TV set. He had a motorbike that he rode to work, when he first worked there. He then worked at Prentice Aircraft on Airport Road. He worked on aircraft radios. He became a partner in the business.

He was in the U.S. Coast Guard for 3 years around l951 – 1953. He was stationed in California, Washington state for a short time, when the sent him to Groton, Connecticut for the rest of his time in the service.

While he was stationed in Groton, Connecticut he used to go roller skating, where he met his future wife, Eileen Frances Miner, who was from Westerly, Rhode Island. After he was discharged from the service he moved back home to Adrian. I went to Rhode Island to bring Eileen to Michigan to meet everyone. On the way going there we were near New York City, and the sign said downtown and Charles drove that way. I was wondering why he wanted to go downtown. He didn't, and was able to turn around and get out of that area.

He was a Ham Radio operator and was active in the Amateur Radio Club.

He also enjoyed shooting competitions at the Lenawee Conservation Club and was a member there. . Charles and Eileen were married in Westerly, Rhode Island at Dunn's Chapel on April 17, l954. The reception was held at her home following the ceremony. Our mother was the only one of Charles's family that attended.

They attended the Raisin Valley Friends Church, where he had taught Sunday School.

They lived in an upstairs apartment next to Miley's Radio, in an upstairs apartment on Raisin Center Highway, next to the railroad track, in an apartment on Hunt street, on the corner of M52 and Valley Road. Mark was born when they lived here. They used to watch cars trying to get up the hill when it was slippery in the winter time. They then moved to Cadmus Road near his work at Prentice Aircraft.

He taught himself to play the organ and used to play waltz music among other songs.

Charles and Eileen had 7 children. Wayne, died at birth, Mark Charles, Gary Franklin, David Leroy, Charleen Lynne, Russell James, and Leroy Charles.

Charles died suddenly at home of a heart attack on a Sunday morning getting ready for church on September 1, 1996. Eileen died at Bixby Medical Center on Saturday May 24, 2003.