Charles Ballinger

Charles Robert Ballinger (Chuck Ballinger) was born in Polk County Mo., on April 29, 1931 to Mary Ella Human and John P. Ballinger during the Great Depression.  He was born just before the Japanese invaded Manchuria in September 1931. 
This event and his time during the Great Depression would lead for him, like most people of that time, to believe in caring for others.
He was 10 years old when Japan invaded the U.S. territory of Guam in 1941.  Too young to fight in that war, he graduated from high school and worked in various trades, ending up as a Cabinet Maker Apprentice in Cottage Grove, Ore., in June of 1950 when North Korea invaded the South. 
He joined the Navy Nov. 6, 1951. He chose the “The Fighting” Sea Bees, a Naval Construction Battalion, as his way to serve.  This utilized his trades background to help in the fight. After completing Basic Training and Construction Schools he was assigned in country to Korea where he worked in a MOB (basic unit of Sea Bee Battalion) on various construction projects, mostly concrete and excavation.  Later, he was assigned to Japan, Adak, Alaska, Guam and various other Islands in Pacific.  
It was the assignment to Guam that most altered his life. After a motorcycle accident which cost him some teeth and a lot of scars, he met a young island girl, Irene Beatrice Sablan, at the Baptist Mission Church in Agana Heights, Guam.  They began to correspond.
With the end of the war Chuck decided not to reenlist.  He returned to Oregon and enrolled in the University of Oregon in 1956. Chuck graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Business Administration.  
Irene and Chuck had become close and in June of 1960 Irene traveled to family in California. There they were married June 18.  
Chuck had a job with Weyerhaeuser as an accountant in Kelso, Wash.  The next year they welcomed a son, Robert Ballinger.  As he promoted, Chuck moved to places like Coos Bay and Klamath Falls, Ore., lastly to Tacoma Wash., Weyerhaeuser’s headquarters. 
In January 1968 Chuck and Irene welcomed Sylvia Ballinger to the family.  In 1970 Chuck left Weyerhaeuser to work as an Accountant for Anderson & Middleton, a wood producing firm in Aberdeen, Wash.  There he was promoted to Comptroller and he stayed with the company till his retirement. 
During his time working for both Weyerhaeuser and Anderson & Middleton, Chuck volunteered at various churches as treasurer. He helped various seniors with their tax return through these organizations.  After retirement he became active with AARP as a volunteer doing tax returns for the elderly and needy. Chuck, Irene and Sylvia enjoyed traveling after his retirement.
In 2023 Chuck, Irene and Sylvia relocated to Custer, S.D., to join their son. Irene passed away in 2024.
Chuck was preceded in death by his younger brother, Ray Ballinger, and his younger sister, Maona (Ballinger) Gross, both of Coos Bay.
He is survived by his daughter, Sylvia Lynn Ballinger; son, Robert McGee-Ballinger; and daughter in-law, Maureen McGee-Ballinger, all of Custer.
A Memorial Service will be held at Chamberlain McColley’s Funeral Home, 234 N. 6th St., Custer, at 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30.
Arrangements have been placed in the care of Chamberlain McColley’s Funeral Home in Custer.