Charles Robert Hardison Jr., 94, of Camarillo, California passed away peacefully on June 10, 2017 in his home.
Charlie was born in Washington, North Carolina on April 26, 1923 to Charles Robert and Mattie Reese Hardison . He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington D.C. in 1942 and immediately enlisted in the US Navy to attend flight school. He served our nation in World War II as an airship (dirigible) pilot, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Charlie married Phyllis Ryder in 1945 and had a daughter, Robin, who passed away from cystic fibrosis at the age of 18. In his long career, he worked his way up in the advertising business and became West Coast Sales Manager for the largest advertising firm in the country at the time. In 1980, Charlie married Joyce Hintz Perrin and they were blessed with twins in 1983 when he was 60. Seeing his children grow and become adults was something he never expected to be able to witness yet he was an integral part of their lives until his death. 19 years ago, Charlie once again found love when he met Barbara Amick at Saticoy Country Club. The two have been inseparable ever since and have enjoyed many years of travel and memories together. Charlie loved golfing, travelling (especially to Hawaii), country music, and spending time with his grandkids during his last years. He was always the life of the party and his sense of humor and deep desire to take care of those he loved are traits we will forever remember and miss dearly.
Charlie is survived by the love of his life for the last 19 years, Barbara Amick of Camarillo, his children, Kathryn (Lee) Price of Ventura and Charles “Buck” Robert Hardison III of Ventura, his grandchildren, Lucas and Charlotte Price of Ventura and Caylin Roderick of Camarillo, his brother Oscar (Gwen) Hardison of Richardson, TX, and former wife Joyce Hardison of Ventura.
Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Robert Hardison Sr. and Mattie Reese Hardison, his brother Francis Edwin Hardison, and daughter Robin Ann Hardison.
Family and friends are invited to funeral services on Saturday, June 17 at 9am at St. Columba's Episcopal Church in Camarillo. Interment with military honors will commence immediately following at Pierce Bros. Valley Oaks Cemetery in Westlake Village. Arrangements are being made through Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home in Ventura. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at www.cff.org.