Charles Stelpstra

Charles Stelpstra, 89 of Cottonwood, passed away October 2, 2008 in Prescott. He was born Tjerd Stelpstra on October 30, 1918 in Prospect Park, NJ to Dutch immigrant parents, Klaas (Nicholas) Stelpstra and Kaaske (Clara) Douma. He was recorded as Charlie on the 1920 census, but was known as Chuck after moving to Arizona in 1963. During World War II, he served as a machine gunner with the infantry in Europe. He was captured in Luxemburg during the Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 1944) and survived more than five months as a prisoner of war in Germany. He married Theresa Dykstra, March 1941, and they raised three sons. He is preceded in death by his wife, Theresa (1989) and son Nicholas (1994). He is survived by his sons Sid (Mary) Stelpstra of Clarkdale and Robert (Linda) Stelpstra of Cary, NC; his daughter-in-law Ruth Stelpstra of San Antonio, TX, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A social man with a gift for story-telling, he will be missed by all his family and his friends at Pine Shadows and Cottonwood Village. Services will be held at Cave Creek National Cemetery in Phoenix on Friday, October 10, 2008 at 12:30pm. An online guestbook is available to sign at www.westcottfuneralhome.com