1923
Charles
2015
Charles Horace Dykeman
January 4, 1923 — September 27, 2015
Charles Horace Dykeman passed away on September 27, 2015 at Haven Hospice, E.T. York facility in Gainesville, Florida. He was born January 4, 1923, in New Haven Connecticut to Caroline Dykeman and Joseph Sabatini Porter, third in a family that grew to 6 children. He is preceded in death by sister Ruth Houston and brothers Harold and Robert. He leaves behind his wife, Lois; sisters Alberta La France and Charlotte Mead; son, Douglas and his wife Kristin Langenfeld; daughter, Gayle; daughter, Susan and her husband Gary Davison; grandson Zachary Dykeman and his fiancée Ashley Miller. His ashes will be buried in the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
As a young man, Charlie joined the CCC’s and traveled throughout the northeast on projects in state and national parks, thus nurturing his lifelong love of nature and the outdoors. With the onset of WWII, Charlie walked into the Armed Forces recruiting office to join the Navy. When asked what he’d like to do, he said he’d like to be a ship’s carpenter – the recruiting officer sized up the young, skinny guy before him wearing glasses, and replied, “OK, you’re a radio man.” Thus was launched a long career in communications and electronics.
While serving in Hawaii, he saw many planes take off and never return. One of the pilots told him that the electronic tubes in radio and radar equipment often burned out in flight, which accounted for some allied losses. He began packing extra tubes for each pilot and taught them how to change the tube while in flight, for which he received a commendation. Never one to talk about his accomplishments, it took Charlie nearly 70 years to share this story with his son.
After the war, Charlie used the GI Bill to study electrical engineering at the RCA Institute. It took him 8 years of night school to earn his degree all the while working full time for Bell Labs (Murray Hill and Holmdel, NJ). He worked on the team that designed submarine cable systems that handle multiple voice and data transmissions in real time. Charlie was often called upon to operate test equipment on the Cable Ship Long Lines while laying cable on the ocean floor.
Charlie married Lois Baker (Long Island, NY) December 9, 1950 with whom he had 3 children, Douglas, Gayle and Susan.
A quiet gentleman, he taught his children to respect the earth, to see what grows from an unknown seed, and to reap what one sows. There was always a garden growing under his gleeful eye.
He was always ready for a road trip and loved to log many miles across the United States. He left behind thousands and thousands of photographs of his journeys. He’d line all his kids up in front of an entrance sign and snap a photo. To this day, we know where we were because of those photos. Early on, his kids became his navigators all across the country. He was up for every adventure - climbing mountains, running into bears, exploring caves, or just fishing away the day – it was all good according to Charlie. Fishing pole in hand, standing in the surf, he had a smile on his face and a quiet chuckle when he landed one.
After 30 years working at Bell Labs he and Lois retired to Citrus Springs, Florida. Winters were spent golfing several times a week, spring and fall gardens were always ‘in progress’, while summers were spent camping across the country, taking in all the sites, smells and sounds they could find.
On his 90th birthday, Charlie and Lois moved into the Village in Gainesville, Florida, where he took up woodworking and ‘discussing’ politics with his friends. He took a special road trip with his son, who drove him from New Mexico back home to Florida, with an extra special side trip to the World War II Museum in New Orleans.
This past May he took one last road trip with his wife and children. He went up the east coast through Maine and back. He visited nieces, nephews, children, grandchild and his two living sisters.
Of this life, the life of Charlie Dykeman, one can say he was a good man. The best kind of man – kind and respectful to all, quiet in nature but always up for adventure and fun. He enjoyed a good joke and was willingly captive to anyone who had a good story to tell. He was intelligent and gentle - he wanted to be useful; he knew who he was and didn’t seem to ever try to be someone he wasn’t. He worked to help others maintain their dignity and self esteem even when they were in the throes of such insipid disease as dementia.
Charlie was one of the good guys.
In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome at:
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, https://www.pancan.org/
Haven Hospice, http://www.havenhospice.org/donate-to-haven-hospice.aspx
The family would like to offer thanks and acknowledge any gifts to these organizations. Please include on your donation:
In Memory of Charles Dykeman
4336 NW 26th Drive
Gainesville, Fl 32605
gbdykeman@gmail.com
As a young man, Charlie joined the CCC’s and traveled throughout the northeast on projects in state and national parks, thus nurturing his lifelong love of nature and the outdoors. With the onset of WWII, Charlie walked into the Armed Forces recruiting office to join the Navy. When asked what he’d like to do, he said he’d like to be a ship’s carpenter – the recruiting officer sized up the young, skinny guy before him wearing glasses, and replied, “OK, you’re a radio man.” Thus was launched a long career in communications and electronics.
While serving in Hawaii, he saw many planes take off and never return. One of the pilots told him that the electronic tubes in radio and radar equipment often burned out in flight, which accounted for some allied losses. He began packing extra tubes for each pilot and taught them how to change the tube while in flight, for which he received a commendation. Never one to talk about his accomplishments, it took Charlie nearly 70 years to share this story with his son.
After the war, Charlie used the GI Bill to study electrical engineering at the RCA Institute. It took him 8 years of night school to earn his degree all the while working full time for Bell Labs (Murray Hill and Holmdel, NJ). He worked on the team that designed submarine cable systems that handle multiple voice and data transmissions in real time. Charlie was often called upon to operate test equipment on the Cable Ship Long Lines while laying cable on the ocean floor.
Charlie married Lois Baker (Long Island, NY) December 9, 1950 with whom he had 3 children, Douglas, Gayle and Susan.
A quiet gentleman, he taught his children to respect the earth, to see what grows from an unknown seed, and to reap what one sows. There was always a garden growing under his gleeful eye.
He was always ready for a road trip and loved to log many miles across the United States. He left behind thousands and thousands of photographs of his journeys. He’d line all his kids up in front of an entrance sign and snap a photo. To this day, we know where we were because of those photos. Early on, his kids became his navigators all across the country. He was up for every adventure - climbing mountains, running into bears, exploring caves, or just fishing away the day – it was all good according to Charlie. Fishing pole in hand, standing in the surf, he had a smile on his face and a quiet chuckle when he landed one.
After 30 years working at Bell Labs he and Lois retired to Citrus Springs, Florida. Winters were spent golfing several times a week, spring and fall gardens were always ‘in progress’, while summers were spent camping across the country, taking in all the sites, smells and sounds they could find.
On his 90th birthday, Charlie and Lois moved into the Village in Gainesville, Florida, where he took up woodworking and ‘discussing’ politics with his friends. He took a special road trip with his son, who drove him from New Mexico back home to Florida, with an extra special side trip to the World War II Museum in New Orleans.
This past May he took one last road trip with his wife and children. He went up the east coast through Maine and back. He visited nieces, nephews, children, grandchild and his two living sisters.
Of this life, the life of Charlie Dykeman, one can say he was a good man. The best kind of man – kind and respectful to all, quiet in nature but always up for adventure and fun. He enjoyed a good joke and was willingly captive to anyone who had a good story to tell. He was intelligent and gentle - he wanted to be useful; he knew who he was and didn’t seem to ever try to be someone he wasn’t. He worked to help others maintain their dignity and self esteem even when they were in the throes of such insipid disease as dementia.
Charlie was one of the good guys.
In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome at:
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, https://www.pancan.org/
Haven Hospice, http://www.havenhospice.org/donate-to-haven-hospice.aspx
The family would like to offer thanks and acknowledge any gifts to these organizations. Please include on your donation:
In Memory of Charles Dykeman
4336 NW 26th Drive
Gainesville, Fl 32605
gbdykeman@gmail.com
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