Obituary
Charles "Bud" Berryhill was born March 4, 1921 in Coweta, Oklahoma to Maggie and Albert Berryhill. Charles passed away Wednesday, August 2, 2006, at the Lompoc Skilled and Rehab Center. He was 85 years old.
Charles married Barbara Nichols in 1943 in Worchester Massachusetts and they moved to California in 1946. They recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. Charles was preceded in death by his parents, his three sisters, Ruth, Francis, and Elizabeth, and his three brothers Jim, Albert, and Perry.
Charles, a veteran of 30 years federal service, worked in one capacity or another for the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. During World War II he served as a staff sergeant for the U.S. Army in both England and the African - Middle Eastern Theater. He also served during the Korean Conflict. While a first sergeant at Camp Cooke, now Vandenberg AFB, he initiated a "soldier of the month" program for the men under him. Since its initiation, this program has mushroomed into an inter-service, worldwide program.
In 1952 he began work at the Point Mugu Missile Test Center in California and eventually became Head of the Special Projects Branch. While with the Pacific Missile Range at Point Mugu, he had a large part in the development of the first missile tracking site located on Vandenberg AFB for tracking missiles fired from US Navy cruisers in the Pacific. He transferred to Lompoc in 1965 where he pursued his career as an aerospace manager with the Western Test Range at Vandenberg. He served as the project manager on the first launches from Vandenberg of both the Thor and Atlas missiles. Later, after retirement, Charles was instrumental in the development of the Lompoc Senior Citizens Center. He served on the Santa Barbara Community Action Commission and he was also a volunteer for the Santa Barbara County Food Bank.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Berryhill of Lompoc. He is also survived by three children, Bruce (Martha Curtis) Berryhill of Richmond, Virginia, Nancy (Benjamin) Lindsey of Kamuela, Illinois, Susan (Wilbur) Ur of Lompoc; eight grandchildren, Amber, Joshua, Marie, Keola, Lorianne, Ian, Rebecca, and Sarah; and five great grandchildren, Eric, Jason, Matthew, Lilly, and Emma.
Services were held at Trinity Church of the Nazarene on Thursday, August 10th, at 10:00 a.m. Donations to the charity of your choice in lieu of flowers. The arrangements are under the direction of the Starbuck-Lind Mortuary.
Charles married Barbara Nichols in 1943 in Worchester Massachusetts and they moved to California in 1946. They recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. Charles was preceded in death by his parents, his three sisters, Ruth, Francis, and Elizabeth, and his three brothers Jim, Albert, and Perry.
Charles, a veteran of 30 years federal service, worked in one capacity or another for the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. During World War II he served as a staff sergeant for the U.S. Army in both England and the African - Middle Eastern Theater. He also served during the Korean Conflict. While a first sergeant at Camp Cooke, now Vandenberg AFB, he initiated a "soldier of the month" program for the men under him. Since its initiation, this program has mushroomed into an inter-service, worldwide program.
In 1952 he began work at the Point Mugu Missile Test Center in California and eventually became Head of the Special Projects Branch. While with the Pacific Missile Range at Point Mugu, he had a large part in the development of the first missile tracking site located on Vandenberg AFB for tracking missiles fired from US Navy cruisers in the Pacific. He transferred to Lompoc in 1965 where he pursued his career as an aerospace manager with the Western Test Range at Vandenberg. He served as the project manager on the first launches from Vandenberg of both the Thor and Atlas missiles. Later, after retirement, Charles was instrumental in the development of the Lompoc Senior Citizens Center. He served on the Santa Barbara Community Action Commission and he was also a volunteer for the Santa Barbara County Food Bank.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Berryhill of Lompoc. He is also survived by three children, Bruce (Martha Curtis) Berryhill of Richmond, Virginia, Nancy (Benjamin) Lindsey of Kamuela, Illinois, Susan (Wilbur) Ur of Lompoc; eight grandchildren, Amber, Joshua, Marie, Keola, Lorianne, Ian, Rebecca, and Sarah; and five great grandchildren, Eric, Jason, Matthew, Lilly, and Emma.
Services were held at Trinity Church of the Nazarene on Thursday, August 10th, at 10:00 a.m. Donations to the charity of your choice in lieu of flowers. The arrangements are under the direction of the Starbuck-Lind Mortuary.
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