Charles Beckett Buchanan

🧬 The Life of Charles Beckett Buchanan (1913–2003)

Salesman | Foreman | Gulf Coast Grandpa | Analytical Soul

📍 Early Life on Lafayette Street (1913–1930)

Born in the chill of winter on January 4, 1913, Charles Beckett Buchanan came into the world beside his twin brother, Carlin—a matched pair of sons to Maurice and Pearl Buchanan, who were building a life in the small town of Patoka, Indiana. Their home on Lafayette Street was steeped in church life, laughter, and the relentless noise of a large family.

Maurice was a preacher. Pearl, Illinois-born like her husband, kept the house running with a firm hand and a sharp mind. Charles learned early to navigate a home full of strong personalities, sacred routines, and the hum of small-town survival.

By 1930, the Buchanan family had moved to Loogootee, Indiana, where Charles—then 17—was already demonstrating a certain quiet seriousness. He could read, write, and had attended school. His world was still deeply rooted in family, faith, and the kind of rural Midwest life where independence had to be earned.

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💍 Love and Typewriters (1935–1942)

At 22, Charles married Mildred Viola Beyl on May 25, 1935—a union that would last the rest of his life. They started out in Indianapolis, living first on East Xorth Street, then on Houston Street, building a life as a young couple in the city.

Charles worked for Hiller Office Supply Company and later for L. C. Smith & Corona Typewriter Co.—a salesman in a world where words still clacked out one keystroke at a time. He was a working man, navigating the tightrope of the Great Depression, holding down a job, and tending to a growing family.

In 1940, at 27 years old, he registered for the World War II draft. He listed his occupation with the Royal Typewriter Co. and named his father, Maurice, as his next of kin. He wasn’t a soldier, but he did what every responsible man of the time did—he prepared.

🛠️ The RCA Years & Family Life (1942–1970s)

By the 1950 census, Charles had transitioned from typewriter salesman to foreman in the radio parts industry. He and Mildred lived on N Sherman Street in Indianapolis with their four children—Barbara, Charles, John, and Sandra. Charles worked 48 hours a week for RCA, while Mildred served as a group leader in the same factory. They were a tag-team duo of mid-century American labor: industrious, dependable, and proud.

He rose in the ranks at RCA and maintained a steady presence there through the 1950s, even as the family moved to new homes across Indianapolis—first to Sherman Drive, then to Ritter Avenue. Charles was known as meticulous, capable, and firm. Retirement, when it came, came early—he stepped away from work in his fifties, decades before his final chapter.

🏌️ Florida Sun & Gulf Breezes (1971–2003)

Charles and Mildred moved to Hudson, Florida, in 1971. He was only 58, still sharp, still active. Retirement for Charles didn’t mean rocking chairs. He had his knees replaced in his eighties just so he could keep golfing. He played pool, watched weather reports with religious fervor, and rarely passed up a game of cards.

By 1993, they had moved to Allyn Drive, where Charles lived until his death. He spent hours with family—though often between commercials. He remained analytical and skeptical until the end, the kind of man who still remembered his Spanish from decades earlier and still followed his own budgeting advice:

“Pay the bills first, save a little, and always leave a bit of fun money.”

He didn’t gush. He didn’t sugarcoat. But every once in a while, love slipped through—sometimes disguised as a side comment, sometimes a begrudging smile, and once… a misdirected “I love you” that still makes someone laugh.

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⚰️ Legacy Etched in Stone (2003)

Charles passed away on Monday, September 29, 2003, at the age of 90. He died at the Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Hudson, Florida, and was buried at Wellwood/Grace Funeral Home and Cemetery. At the time of his passing, he had five children, seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

His was a life of structure, steady love, and quiet loyalty—the kind of life that doesn’t make headlines, but builds legacies.

Karen shared:

Charles was a grandfather. He was an avid golfer, at 85 yrs old he even had his knees replaced so he could golf more. His golf buddies were his family. He was a “only believe it if I see it” kind of person, very analytical and skeptical. His mind stayed very sharp until the end. He could still speak some Spanish that learned decades earlier from some Cuban friends he worked with. He was very direct and said what he meant. He loved to play pool and cards. He and Mildred passed many hours playing cards together. Charles gave me some budgeting advice when I was a young adult that I still practice today. The basic concept was, pay bills first, put some away for savings and give yourself some “fun” money with every check, just a little. Charles could sometimes seem harsh, even when he didn’t mean to. I remember one day as my husband and I were leaving, weeks before he died, I heard him say “I love you.” I had never heard him say that and happily turned around and told him “I love you too.” He said, “no, I was talking to Tony.” I laughed to myself thinking, you could have just let me think you were loving me! Lol. We went fishing in his boat on the Gulf of Mexico and he warned me, “I won’t bait your hook.” I told him not to worry, baited my own hook and then I caught the first fish. I think it really hurt his ego that a girl beat him. He was from the old school way of thinking that girls didn’t really have much value out of the home. He retired young, at age 50 I believe. He once told me that if he knew he was going to live past 70 he would have kept working much longer. I guess 40 years of spending all day watching the golf and weather channels bored him, just a couple of hours visiting when we could only speak during commercials, was boring! ~Karen

📝 Want to share your memories of Charles?
We’ve built an Intro Page just for him—where stories, reflections, and quiet moments are always welcome. If you knew Charles, fished with him, played pool in that Florida sunroom, or simply carry a piece of his legacy, we’d love to hear from you.
👉 Click here to visit his Intro Page and share your story.

That’s it for today, stay tuned!

~Kris

🕯️ Revisited by Bones: Charles Beckett Buchanan

Twin Son of a Preacher | RCA’s Quiet Titan | Card Shark of the Gulf

Some men wear their hearts on their sleeves. Others, like Charles, sew them into the lining of a cardigan and pretend not to notice when they show. He was skeptical, stubborn, structured—but never shallow.

If you knew Charles, played cards with him, worked beside him at RCA, or got one of those budgeting lessons… tell us. Leave a story. Share a laugh. Cast your memory like a fishing line into the past.

He may have insisted on baiting his own hook—but I suspect he’d be secretly proud to be remembered this well.