CHARLES R. BABEL
Charles Ronald Babel was born in Archer, Nebraska on August 13th,1919 to Charles A. Babel and Veda Hansen Babel. When he was five years old his father was killed in a work related accident which left his mother widowed with 4 young children. In later years his Mother married Harry C. DeLano and Charles spent his elementary and high school years in Arcadia, Nebraska.
He joined the United States Coast Guard in 1940 and served for five years.
In 1946 he married Mary Frances Barr in Chicago, Illinois and they had four children; Catherine Babel Denman of Alda, Patricia Babel Wilkinson of Alda, Valerie Babel Fait of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Thomas Babel of Wood River.
In April of 1948 Charles and Mary moved from Chicago to Wood River and Charlie joined his Uncle John Hoye in the general insurance business, real estate sales and income tax preparation. He remained involved in this business for 44 years until his passing in June 1992.
He served 9 years on the Wood River School Board and for 10 years he was the Wood River Village Clerk. He was a member of the American Legion Post # 314, the Mason's Cement Lodge # 211 and served several years as the local Boy Scout Master.
He loved the "out doors" and spent much of his free time at his beloved Platte River "Island Retreat", finding a special joy in sharing this unique place with others.
A point of interest that Charles liked to share was that his father, as an infant, came by wagon train from Iowa to this Wood River Valley and he often pointed out where the original Babel homestead was located and the "Babel house" that still stands in the country north of town. So, although he himself was not a resident of Wood River until the year 1948, he had "roots" here
in Wood River that the Babel family had set previously.
The family would like to have him remembered for his devotion to his family, to the people of Wood River and for his genuine love of the land and the great outdoors.