On this day, Sunday August 28th, 2016, We celebrated the life of Charles William Alston who passed away in May of 2016. Charles was born and raised in Roswell, New Mexico and at one point moved to California.Charles decided to come back to live in Capitan, New Mexico in the 1980s. He married Gail in Juarez, Mexico in 1980s. Charles was the youngest of three boys.
He was the little brother to James and Robert Alston, Brother-in law to Pamela and Sandra Alston, Uncle to Gary Alston, Tammy Alston, and Kathy Alston-Schintgen. Charles was known as the Trader of the family. He could barter for all his needs, wants or desires. If he saw something at a Garage sale, he would pick it up and say.“ I have never had one of these before” and either trade something he had for it or walk off with it for less than half the asking price.
One of those acquisitions was a four wheeler that he got his wife Gail, so she could go see the neighbor without having to take the car. He ended up acquiring three or four of them for parts and ended up re-building. Charles, of course was able to rebuild these for less than what it would cost for a brand new one and so since he did one four wheeler he decided to rebuild the others. Almost every time I would come to visit Charles he would let me ride the four wheelers with him and my dad. We would go down the dirt road he lived on to a path where we could soar down a hill, of course I wasn’t really allow to go very fast on them.
We would also go to an area where he would keep all his tradable goods. He literally had acres of crap that he would build up to trade. Instead of buying or selling things he would always say “ what do you have to trade’? His motto could have been “ One mans trash is another mans treasure” and that is literally the only saying he lived by.
On trips when we did not ride four wheelers, we would either ride the golf cart or shot rifles and guns. One of my favorite memories of Charles on his property was when it was a bit windy and we were shooting. He had a can tied to a string on a tree in the distance and he used it as a target. Well, me and dad were shooting at it and with the fourty-five mm I blew off the bottom of the can while it was moving. Charles and dad were both in awe, jaws dropped of course. He let me shoot a few of his rifles as well, He would show me how to shot by shooting first and then correct me if I was holding it wrong. Shooting with Charles was always something to look forward to because not only was it practice for me but it was something to bond over.
I guess you could say Charles and I were sort of close. Every time we would go out to eat we would go to The Smokey Bear Restaurant. He would go in, find a separate table where we wouldn't bother anyone else and order a coke. For his meal he would get a chicken fried steak with three times the order of fried okra. He would say that he wanted at least a plate full of it. He had to get order of fried okra and anyone who would get in his way he would try to get them with his fork.
Charles, being the trader he was, every time he would come visit us he would want to wake up early Saturday and go garage sale shopping. He would get all sorts of different knicknacks. He would alway bargain prices down to his liking or find a way to trade something he had in his truck for the item. He was a goofball in my mind, he had so much energy not sure where he got it from but I'm glad he had it. He found a way to make the visits fun. At garage sales he would say “I might have use for this on something I have." We stopped at a lot of garage sales--we would leave at seven or eight in the morning and we would be done and ready for a nap around noon or one.
His service was short and to the point. This service would have been exactly what he would have wanted. It was absolutely outstanding. The words from the prayer was enough to make your eyes water. It even brought me to tears.
During taps is when everyone including my self broke down. The service was a military service and for a first I think it was nice. Very honorable for a man who was a very amazing person. Charles was a great guy--he always made you smile and laugh.
He wasn't a fighter or a hater, however he fought to stay here till he gave his last breath. Charles died of heart and kidney failure after a long fight of doctors and hospital visits. He will be missed and forever loved by family, friends, and anyone who got the chance to meet him.
We all love and miss you, Charles. Rest in peace.
