Charles Dayton Douglas

Charles Dayton Douglas died June 29, 2025, at his home in Asheville, NC. He was born October 20, 1937, in Weston, WV, the son of Basil W. Douglas and Clara Watson Douglas. Charles was previously married to Ramonda Sue Carper (deceased) and Donna Jean Crawford (deceased).

Surviving relatives are his wife Nancy Williamson Douglas, stepson William H. Williamson, sons John D. Douglas and David A. Douglas, six grandchildren, his sister Mary Quinta and her husband Vince, his beloved cousins Doug Powell and Jerry Douglas, and several nieces and nephews.

After high school he attended basic training at Fort Knox and served in the U. S. Army Reserve for 8 years. He built a long and respected career in communications starting as a lineman/installer with the C&P Telephone Company and culminating as a Division Manager in Operations and later a Labor Relations Executive with AT&T, stationed in Washington, DC and NYC respectively. During his time in DC the White House and Pentagon telecommunication systems were two of his responsibilities.

Retirement never slowed him down. Always active, he found joy in being outdoors at his mini-farm in Greeneville, TN, and later in Asheville. He loved gardening and riding his tractor, and working with the Carolina Mountain Club as a trail-maintainer on the Appalachian Trail and NC Mountain to Sea trails. Listening to music, from bluegrass to classical, was a favorite hobby throughout his life. He had a heart for helping others and wasn’t any happier than when he was shoveling snow from the driveways of the neighborhood widows. He was never one to sit still except when he was reading. He was a speed reader and could polish off the NY Times, The Washington Post, the local paper, The Atlantic, The New Yorker and 2 books a week. A big believer in lifelong learning, he enjoyed TV documentaries and especially his classes at The OLLI College for Seniors. Wendell Berry, the well-known Kentucky writer and activist, was his greatest hero.

To ensure space for out-of-town family, non-PBF residents, and longtime friends, attendance at Charlie’s memorial service is limited to those receiving an invitation. The family so appreciates the outpouring of love, visits and condolences from the entire community, and deeply regrets that space constraints prevent a larger gathering.

In honor of his memory, the family encourages you to spend time outside, tackle a project or simply keep moving…just as he always did. Tax deductible memorial donations can be made to Read2Succeed Asheville, P.O. Box 18652, Asheville, NC 28814, to help build an equitable world where all children are strong, confident readers who succeed in school and in life.

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