STOCKTON, Calif. - Charles Clerc, 82, has died from complications following an operation for lung cancer. His life was one for the books.
His academic career spanned 39 years, most of them in the English department at the University of the Pacific, where he applied his Ph.D., from the University of Iowa to teaching modern literature and creative writing. Thorough, insightful, and encouraging, Charles earned UOP's highest teaching award and visiting professorships at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
When fellow-professor Arlen Hansen died, UOP just wasn't the same, and Charles took early retirement in 1990, to write full-time. He was writing and editing until the end. His works include numerous short stories, two novels, a memoir, a play and dozens of articles that have appeared in everything from the Journal of Modern Literature to Newsweek
Charles' recently published books include "The Y and Other Stories" (his short fiction, 1997) and "Mason and Dixon and Pynchon" (his literary criticism, 2000).
Before and during retirement, Charles was active in the community. He served as a judge for an array of writing competitions and the Stockton Civic Theater. His books about the area include "Stockton: Heart of the Valley" (a city history, 1989) and "The Professor Who Changed My Life" (a celebration of UOP, 2001). It helped to need only four hours sleep a night.
Charles served in two wars. As third mate on an ammunition ship at Okinawa in World War II, he survived combat against Kamikazes. During the Korean War, he served as an Army lieutenant in an anti-aircraft unit.
The illegitimate son of a hotel maid, Charles was born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho. He searched out his Swiss relatives two decades ago and lived some of each year since in Switzerland with his half-sister, Dr. Francine Blum, and other relatives.
Charles is survived by daughters, Caroline and Rebecca, who are teachers and artists in Los Angeles, and Claudette, who is a teacher and photographer in Vietnam. He leaves two grandsons: Jeff lives in Novato, California, and Scott lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His four great-grandchildren are Roan, Simon, Erik, and Perry-Anne. Charles' son Kim, a labor organizer in Bolivia for 10 years, died in 1996.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Charles will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2008, 4 p.m., at Morris Chapel, UOP, 3601 Pacific Ave., Stockton, California.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests honoring Charles with a donation to a favorite charity.
Idaho State Journal Apr 1, 2008
His academic career spanned 39 years, most of them in the English department at the University of the Pacific, where he applied his Ph.D., from the University of Iowa to teaching modern literature and creative writing. Thorough, insightful, and encouraging, Charles earned UOP's highest teaching award and visiting professorships at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
When fellow-professor Arlen Hansen died, UOP just wasn't the same, and Charles took early retirement in 1990, to write full-time. He was writing and editing until the end. His works include numerous short stories, two novels, a memoir, a play and dozens of articles that have appeared in everything from the Journal of Modern Literature to Newsweek
Charles' recently published books include "The Y and Other Stories" (his short fiction, 1997) and "Mason and Dixon and Pynchon" (his literary criticism, 2000).
Before and during retirement, Charles was active in the community. He served as a judge for an array of writing competitions and the Stockton Civic Theater. His books about the area include "Stockton: Heart of the Valley" (a city history, 1989) and "The Professor Who Changed My Life" (a celebration of UOP, 2001). It helped to need only four hours sleep a night.
Charles served in two wars. As third mate on an ammunition ship at Okinawa in World War II, he survived combat against Kamikazes. During the Korean War, he served as an Army lieutenant in an anti-aircraft unit.
The illegitimate son of a hotel maid, Charles was born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho. He searched out his Swiss relatives two decades ago and lived some of each year since in Switzerland with his half-sister, Dr. Francine Blum, and other relatives.
Charles is survived by daughters, Caroline and Rebecca, who are teachers and artists in Los Angeles, and Claudette, who is a teacher and photographer in Vietnam. He leaves two grandsons: Jeff lives in Novato, California, and Scott lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His four great-grandchildren are Roan, Simon, Erik, and Perry-Anne. Charles' son Kim, a labor organizer in Bolivia for 10 years, died in 1996.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Charles will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2008, 4 p.m., at Morris Chapel, UOP, 3601 Pacific Ave., Stockton, California.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests honoring Charles with a donation to a favorite charity.
Idaho State Journal Apr 1, 2008
STOCKTON, Calif. - Charles Clerc, 82, has died from complications following an operation for lung cancer. His life was one for the books.
His academic career spanned 39 years, most of them in the English department at the University of the Pacific, where he applied his Ph.D., from the University of Iowa to teaching modern literature and creative writing. Thorough, insightful, and encouraging, Charles earned UOP's highest teaching award and visiting professorships at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
When fellow-professor Arlen Hansen died, UOP just wasn't the same, and Charles took early retirement in 1990, to write full-time. He was writing and editing until the end. His works include numerous short stories, two novels, a memoir, a play and dozens of articles that have appeared in everything from the Journal of Modern Literature to Newsweek
Charles' recently published books include "The Y and Other Stories" (his short fiction, 1997) and "Mason and Dixon and Pynchon" (his literary criticism, 2000).
Before and during retirement, Charles was active in the community. He served as a judge for an array of writing competitions and the Stockton Civic Theater. His books about the area include "Stockton: Heart of the Valley" (a city history, 1989) and "The Professor Who Changed My Life" (a celebration of UOP, 2001). It helped to need only four hours sleep a night.
Charles served in two wars. As third mate on an ammunition ship at Okinawa in World War II, he survived combat against Kamikazes. During the Korean War, he served as an Army lieutenant in an anti-aircraft unit.
The illegitimate son of a hotel maid, Charles was born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho. He searched out his Swiss relatives two decades ago and lived some of each year since in Switzerland with his half-sister, Dr. Francine Blum, and other relatives.
Charles is survived by daughters, Caroline and Rebecca, who are teachers and artists in Los Angeles, and Claudette, who is a teacher and photographer in Vietnam. He leaves two grandsons: Jeff lives in Novato, California, and Scott lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His four great-grandchildren are Roan, Simon, Erik, and Perry-Anne. Charles' son Kim, a labor organizer in Bolivia for 10 years, died in 1996.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Charles will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2008, 4 p.m., at Morris Chapel, UOP, 3601 Pacific Ave., Stockton, California.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests honoring Charles with a donation to a favorite charity.
Idaho State Journal Apr 1, 2008
His academic career spanned 39 years, most of them in the English department at the University of the Pacific, where he applied his Ph.D., from the University of Iowa to teaching modern literature and creative writing. Thorough, insightful, and encouraging, Charles earned UOP's highest teaching award and visiting professorships at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
When fellow-professor Arlen Hansen died, UOP just wasn't the same, and Charles took early retirement in 1990, to write full-time. He was writing and editing until the end. His works include numerous short stories, two novels, a memoir, a play and dozens of articles that have appeared in everything from the Journal of Modern Literature to Newsweek
Charles' recently published books include "The Y and Other Stories" (his short fiction, 1997) and "Mason and Dixon and Pynchon" (his literary criticism, 2000).
Before and during retirement, Charles was active in the community. He served as a judge for an array of writing competitions and the Stockton Civic Theater. His books about the area include "Stockton: Heart of the Valley" (a city history, 1989) and "The Professor Who Changed My Life" (a celebration of UOP, 2001). It helped to need only four hours sleep a night.
Charles served in two wars. As third mate on an ammunition ship at Okinawa in World War II, he survived combat against Kamikazes. During the Korean War, he served as an Army lieutenant in an anti-aircraft unit.
The illegitimate son of a hotel maid, Charles was born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho. He searched out his Swiss relatives two decades ago and lived some of each year since in Switzerland with his half-sister, Dr. Francine Blum, and other relatives.
Charles is survived by daughters, Caroline and Rebecca, who are teachers and artists in Los Angeles, and Claudette, who is a teacher and photographer in Vietnam. He leaves two grandsons: Jeff lives in Novato, California, and Scott lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His four great-grandchildren are Roan, Simon, Erik, and Perry-Anne. Charles' son Kim, a labor organizer in Bolivia for 10 years, died in 1996.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Charles will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2008, 4 p.m., at Morris Chapel, UOP, 3601 Pacific Ave., Stockton, California.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests honoring Charles with a donation to a favorite charity.
Idaho State Journal Apr 1, 2008
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