BOMBER MEMORIAL

CHARLES AUDIE "CHARLIE" NEVINS ^JR ~ Class of 1965
June 13, 1947 - November 9, 2021







Written by Jackie Hanson Hewett ('67).

"Charles Audie 'Charlie' Nevins ^Jr was born in Richland on June 13, 1947 to Minnie and Charles Audie Nevins ^Sr.

He passed away in his home in King City, OR on November 9, 2021.

Charlie attended Jason Lee Grade School, Chief Jo Junior High School and graduated from Richland's Columbia High School in 1965.

He worked at his parents' gas station, the Flying A, growing up.

Charlie was in the U. S. Navy from 1965 through 1969, serving two tours in Vietnam.

He married Jackie Hanson ('67) on August 18, 1972. To this union their son, Corey, was born. Charlie coached Corey in soccer and baseball from T-Ball to Majors. He never missed a Karate tournament, football game, wrestling match or ballgame. Charlie and Jackie were later divorced on January 21, 1992.

Charlie went to trade school in Vancouver, WA in 1972 and became a Journeyman Drywaller in 1974.

He married Patricia Irene 'Patti' Lynch in December 1995.

Charlie was an easy-going, kind and loving man, husband and father. He loved to cook, fish and was an excellent home chef.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia 'Patti' Nevins of King City, OR; by his son, Corey Nevins of Vancouver, WA; and by three step-children: Robbie Kersey, Ricky Kersey and Kelly Lynch.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Minnie and Charles Nevins ^Sr; by his two sisters, Bobby June Nevins Miller ('55) and Shirley Ann Nevins Rios ('59) ; and by his step-son, Mychael Lynch.

Charlie will be missed by many."


Written by Terry Davis Knox ('65).

"Charlie Nevins and I met over my back fence as four- year-olds and grew up together there in the backyards of our Jason Lee neighborhood along Van Giesen and Perkins, and we've been friends, close friends, all our lives. I'm not comfortable yet saying 'were friends', but that's why I'm writing.

We're all losing more and more friends these days, and of course each of those friends is special to us. What made Charlie special to me and to our little gang of neighborhood boys was the cheerful, passive charm he had about him. He never asked to come along, but we never went anywhere without first looking around to see if Charlie wanted to come. We were drawn to him like that. There are children, I've since learned, who are just like that--who through no deliberate effort of their own, or even being aware of it, somehow become everybody's favorite. The chosen one.

'Can Charlie come out and play?'

Remember how we used to say that?

I said that--we all said that--to Charlie's mom a thousand times, growing up. He never came to our doors, we always went to his. He had that gift.

'Can Charlie come out and play?'

Charlie Nevins. Never Charles. But sometimes Charles-A, if his mom was calling him.

The A was for Audie, after the war hero/actor Audie Murphy. But no hostile child's hand ever touched the brow of our Charlie.

Years and years later, when be wrote me two letters from Vietnam, from his bunk on a Navy Swift Boat, he signed them 'Charles-A'.

But at our 35th reunion he was 'Charlie' to everybody again.

I got hold of him over in Beaverton a couple years ago, and I'm glad I did.

Safe journey to you, old friend. We chose you and you didn't disappoint. Not Ever."

Bomber Memorial put together by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).