In the early afternoon hours on April 14, 2023, Charles Harold Aldridge took the hand of his beloved friend and savior, Jesus Christ, who led him into his eternal home. A life-long Christian and member of Higgins United Methodist Church, Charles was born in Brandon, Mississippi on January 22, 1933. He was the only son of Charles Leslie and Lona Steen Aldridge.
From a very early age, Charles had a profound love of church music, which may have begun as a toddler since he was often held by his mother during her choir practice. His earliest memories of church were singing solos while standing on a Coca-Cola crate!
Charles grew up in rural Mississippi following the Great Depression. He found odd jobs to help his family and first worked with a dairy farmer washing bottles for milk deliveries. At age 13 he could be found after school at the Western Auto assembling wagons and bicycles and making home deliveries. By high school Charles had saved enough money to purchase a trombone, and by the time he attended Hinds Junior College, his musical talent had earned him a spot in the coveted Lions All-State Marching Band. This provided that young man a memorable opportunity to travel and perform at the famous Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, Pike’s Peak in Colorado and other national locations. It was also during this time that Charles began dating his childhood sweetheart and one true love, Mary Tom Heard.
In 1954 Charles enlisted in the U.S. Army and trained as an interceptor of Morse code. Before being stationed at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, Charles married Mary Tom on Christmas Day that same year. Their oldest child, Charles (Chuck) Aldridge was born while they were living in Virginia.
Having served his time in the military, and having obtained an honorable discharge, Charles brought his young family back to Mississippi. He earned a degree in accounting from Mississippi State University, and his first job was with Mohasco Industries in Greenville, Mississippi. Charles spent the next 14 years there, growing his career and his family. He and Mary Tom welcomed the births of their two daughters, Kimberly Anne and Dayna Kathryn. During these years Charles loved singing in the church choir, especially the Christmas cantatas. He was also the pitcher for the church softball team and helped lead a Cub Scout troop. He joined Greenville’s Choral Society and for several years served as their president. He and his family enjoyed attending high school football games and boating and fishing on Lake Ferguson. Just when Charles’ life seemed fairly stable, everything changed in 1972.
Mohasco had other plans for Charles and his family; they needed a plant controller at their facility in Burnsville, NC and Charles knew that opportunity might knock only once. Early in January of 1973, Charles and Mary Tom said goodbye to their families and friends and relocated to the beautiful Appalachian mountains. They loved the area, the people and their new church home at Higgins United Methodist. Charles quickly became a member of their choir and sang in it faithfully until the pandemic lockdown of 2020. He and Mary Tom led the church’s youth group for several years in the 1970s, co-taught various Bible studies, and were dedicated Stephen Ministers. He was active as a lay leader and also served as the church’s Treasurer for 35 years. Charles valued his relationship with Jesus Christ and had a passion to help others create their own personal relationship. This led him to volunteer and serve with Via de Cristo and Emmaus on numerous weekend retreats over the years. Charles also enjoyed square dancing, fishing, family reunions and celebrations and an occasional game of golf.
In 1981, just 8 years after Charles and his family left Mississippi, Mohasco announced the closing of their Burnsville plant. They offered Charles an opportunity to relocate, but he declined and informed them that Burnsville was where he wanted to stay for the remainder of his life; it had become home. However, his decision now meant he was unemployed with three children in college, and a wife who had decided to finish her college degree.
During times like these, when life was uncertain and his future unclear, Charles knew God was in control. He was confident his faith would see him through because it always had.
His decision to remain in Burnsville was soon validated with a job offer to become the Director of Finance at Blue Ridge Hospital. Through some challenging financial years, and many difficult decisions, Charles, along with the help and support of many others, was able to establish a reliable healthcare facility for the people of this region. He remained with Blue Ridge Hospital and served as Assistant Administrator and later retired as their CEO in 1996. In his retirement Charles stayed active and loved assisting his grandson, Ryan Aldridge, a local electrician. Charles created his own Aldridge Plastics business and enjoyed designing and fabricating brochure holders for various medical facilities, doctors’ offices, banks, and visitors’ centers. He and Mary Tom volunteered with Meals on Wheels and for 10 years enjoyed traveling the roads of Yancey County and spending quality time with these new friends. Charles felt blessed to know so many people across our region, and if you knew him, you knew he wore red socks on Friday! If you knew him well, you knew he wore one red sock and one black sock on Friday the 13th! On other days it was Happy Socks! He was dedicated to his community, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity for several years and was a loyal Red Cross blood and platelet donor. Charles was grateful to have found such a remarkable place to call home.
Charles is preceded in death by his parents, his only sibling, Doris “Dot” Foreman, and a very special grandson, Charles Thomas “Tommy” Wright.
Surviving is his wife of 68 years, Mary Tom, son Chuck Aldridge (Carole) of Nebo, NC, daughter Kim Adams (Bob) of Unicoi, TN and daughter Dayna Wright (Tom) of Blowing Rock, NC. Grandchildren include Chris Aldridge and Ryan Aldridge of Burnsville, NC, Melissa Satta (Johnny) of Delano, TN, Ashley Hall (Christopher) of Cary, NC, Brandon Mitchell (Celeste) of Burnsville, NC and Lindsay Garcia (Jorge) of Blowing Rock, NC. Great-grandchildren are Ethan Aldridge, Carina and Kali Satta, and Isabel Mitchell. Many of Charles’ nieces, nephews and cousins still live in and around Brandon, MS.
The Aldridge family would like to extend a sincere heartfelt “Thank you!” to Charles’ caregivers. They have been providing him the quality care he needed to stay at the place he loved most; home with his family. Thank you Pat Morrow, Vickie Trimble, Ashley Robinson, Karmen Ramsey, Lexie Pittman, Stacey Weaver, Chrissie Robinson, Kayla Ledford, Louise McCellan, and Evelyn Whitson.
The family also wishes to thank the Compassionate Care teams and their hands-on expertise. The family appreciates all that each of you has done for Charles and Mary Tom.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Compassionate Care of WNC at 856 Georges Fork Rd, Burnsville, NC 28714, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (www.michaeljfox.org), or to Tuesday Night Meals Ministry at Higgins UMC in Burnsville, NC.
A Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at Higgins United Methodist Church! Wear your Happy Socks!
Yancey Funeral Services is graciously serving the Aldridge family
