It is with a broken heart that I write this obituary for my dear spouse Charlie, who unexpectedly died 8 days before our 39th wedding anniversary.

Charles (Charlie) Robert Myers died September 14, 2023. He was born October 31, 1938 in Baltimore, Maryland to Marie Anna Zeller and Charles Robert Myers, Jr.

Marie died of breast cancer when Charlie was six years old and his dad, of little means, placed him in an orphanage and his two year old sister Gwen, was placed with Charles’s sister. After three years, Charlie was reunited with his dad and new stepmother, Rosalie. Charlie was a bright child who loved to read. He delivered newspapers after school. He didn’t care much for school but his math teacher saw his potential and had Charlie take a test; he did so well he was awarded a full scholarship. He hadn’t even applied to any colleges so his teacher sat him down to apply to either John Hopkins to study Engineering or Western Maryland College to study Mathematics. He chose Western Maryland College where he studied Mathematics, English and Education and received his degree in Mathematics. Charlie was the first in his family to go to college. His passion for English led him to Theatre Arts. He went to the University of Iowa, where he received his MA in 1962 and PhD in 1971 in Theatre Arts. His MA thesis was The Early Plays of Eugene O’Neill: A Critical Study; his Doctoral thesis was titled Game Structure in Selected Plays.

Charlie taught in Missouri at Tarkio College a church-supported school. Eyebrows were raised when Charlie directed “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”!

Charlie came to Humboldt State College to teach Theatre Arts and Film History in 1969. He always laughed about being hired in a bar on the Arcata Plaza. Humboldt became Humboldt State University soon after. He was a gifted teacher, whose love and understanding of contemporary theater inspired colleagues as well as students. He mentored many wonderful students and left lasting impressions on them. Many went on to become friends and he was very saddened by the loss of dear ones: Lee Ann Gadilauskas who was his “best woman” when he married Claudia; Lani Harris whom he walked down the aisle and Pamela Lyall who performed Charlie and Claudia’s wedding ceremony after he had directed her in Tennessee Williams’ “Streetcar Named Desire.”

Charlie was the proud father of Robert (Robin) Wyse, Jonathan (Jon) Myers, Jennifer Myers and he cherished his grandsons Owen and Declan Clark.

Charlie enjoyed directing plays throughout his career. When former students Joyce Hough and Fred Neighbor opened the Jambalaya, Charlie directed them in performances there: Fred and Joyce in Harold Pinter’s “The Lover” and Fred in Samuel Beckett’s “”Krapp’s Last Tape.”

Charlie taught Directing, Theory and Criticism and Film History. He was pleased when he was able to show films to his class at the historic Minor Theatre thanks to former student David Phillips co-owner of the Minor. Students thought this would be an easy class, but were they surprised when they had to write academic papers on the films they saw!

Charlie was chair of the Theatre Arts Department twice and was an Academic Senator as well as Academic Senate Chair from 1977-1978. He was a member of the Six Rivers Runners Club for years and enjoyed 10ks, half marathons and recreational running, was a past member of the Jane Austen Society and was on Toby and Jack’s dart team. Charlie loved teaching his students. He FERPed (Faculty Early Retirement Program) in 1998, but opted to teach for another five years. When he fully retired he deeply missed working with his students. Once retired he continued to enjoy classical, pop, jazz and country music, reading, going to movies and plays, playing chess, doing crossword puzzles and collecting first day cover stamps — and having a nightly bourbon with potato chips! Charlie was an avid reader and read many book reviews to decide which new books to buy. He was a passionate bibliophile, so attached to his books, that if he lent one that wasn’t returned, he’d buy a replacement.

In 1987 Charlie had a sabbatical. He and Claudia bought a 25-year-old 13-foot travel trailer and, with their Bloodhound Sherlock, they traveled around the United States on Blue Highways, avoiding interstates and visiting some magnificent places. With no real destination in mind they drove north into Canada, across Canada and down to Iowa City, so Charlie could get advice from a former professor for suggestions where he might go to study film history. They returned to Canada and drove to Ottawa, where news came that Charlie’s step-mom Rosalie had died. So for the first time since leaving home, they went on their first interstate to get to Rosalie’s memorial in Baltimore. They then settled in Madison, Wisconsin for a semester. Charlie took a class in film history but it was the graduate English class where they studied Thomas Pynchon, that had Charlie totally relishing being a student again. They took two months to get home visiting Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and the Black Hills of South Dakota, among other memorable places. On the road, they met many folks in camp grounds. Someone would suggest going to a certain place, and off they’d go.

In 1994, Charlie and Claudia went on sabbatical to London where he studied Harold Pinter’s papers at the British Museum. He was excited to find in the papers that Pinter had written a diary for Emma, a character in his play “Betrayal,” one of several Pinter plays Charlie had directed. They were able to see Pinter’s one-act, “Landscape,” directed by Pinter himself, and they took full advantage of London’s wonderful classical music scene.

Charlie’s love of classical music lead him and his friend, Jerry Sattinger, to live in London on two occasions. On their second trip to London, he would write of their experiences to a group of friends — one of whom was Judy Hodgson, who asked him to write movie reviews for her North Coast Journal when he returned. Thus, Charlie became “Charlie in Filmland” in June of 2003.

When he retired from Filmland in September of 2011, he wrote his last column, “Charlie Says Farewell”:

When I began writing reviews for the Journal in June 2003, I had no idea how it would go or how long I would keep writing the column. Now, some eight-plus years later, I think it’s time to say farewell to regular reviewing.

By and large, the years reviewing movies have been very enjoyable. If that comment sounds somewhat qualified, it is due primarily to the type of films we get locally, which, clearly, are not the sort I deeply enjoy in general although there have been any number of exceptions. At any rate, things change including me and the Journal. Initially, the column was called “Charlie in Filmland,” and I wrote all the reviews and previews. I used to cover most of the films that opened here. In the beginning, I had fun panning films I didn’t care for, but over the years that aspect just became tedious, no doubt for both myself and readers. Eventually, due to several factors including my frequent travel, the column became Filmland and material was written by a variety of people.

I would like to acknowledge one major influence that led to my reviewing “career,” namely publisher Judy Hodgson who enthusiastically pushed me into this endeavor and who constantly supported the column. Thanks as well to those who were burdened with editing the column, particularly Arts and Culture Editor Bob Doran and staff writer Ryan Burns.

Since coming to Humboldt County back in 1969 to teach at HSU, I came to know a lot of people locally, people who were familiar with my sense of humor and taste in films. As a result, the reviews have been more personal than would be possible in a big city newspaper. One of the joys of the column has been the conversations with people, both strangers and those who know me, about the reviews, conversations that likely would not otherwise have occurred. So many thanks to all who approached me to talk about movies in stores, on the street, or wherever. I hope you will not stop. Perhaps the Journal might even allow me a guest reviewer gig now and again.

Charlie and Jerry spent a number of months in Portland, Oregon, enjoying classical music, seeing plays and partaking of Portland’s Happy Hours. Claudia soon joined them, as did their new bloodhound puppy, Katie. For eight years, Portland become a second home. There they were thrilled to see such longtime favorites as Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and Fleetwood Mac. They’d seen Bruce in Chicago on their first sabbatical, but this time folks sat down! Tragically, Katie died in April, breaking Charlie and Claudia’s hearts. They returned to Portland for three weeks later that spring, not knowing it would be their last journey to Portland together. It still seems unreal.

Charlie and Claudia went on their first post-COVID trip to Mammoth Lakes to see family, where Charlie broke his ankle. They were flown to Reno after major heart issues were discovered. He had ankle surgery and he got COVID in the hospital, which was the beginning of the end for Charlie. An ambulance brought him to Eureka for more rehabilitation. He’d lost his appetite since getting COVID; he ate very little and lost a significant amount of weight. He was happy to be coming home to hospice care and pleased that another bloodhound puppy was in their future. Shockingly, Charlie succumbed to heart failure the day before he was to come home.

He is survived by his loving spouse Claudia Myers, his sister Gwen Nolte, his children Robert Wyse, Jonathan Myers and Jennifer Myers; brother-in-law John Nolte; daughters-in-laws Galyna Wyse, Renee Pype, son-in-law Scot Clark; grandsons Owen Clark and Declan Clark; brothers-in-law David Wilbur, Mark Wilbur, sister-in-law Noreen Wilbur; nieces, Usha Penrod , Ariel Duvall and Patti Nolte Adamson; nephews-in-law Luke Penrod and Brian Duvall; great nephews, Graham Penrod, Ryder Duvall, Hunter Nolte and great-niece June Duvall; dear friend Kathy LaForge, mother of Jonathan and Jennifer, their step dad Dick LaForge and special friends Jerry Sattinger and Alexa Day. He was preceded in death by his parents Marie Zeller Myers and Charles Robert Myers, Jr. and beloved bloodhounds Katie, Rose, Mellie, Emma, Rowdy and Sherlock.

Charlie’s friends and family are invited to a Celebration of Charlie at Moonstone Beach House, Trinidad, California, Saturday Nov. 25 from 2 to 6 p.m.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Breast and GYN Health Project, 987 8th St, Arcata, CA 95521; Arcata Playhouse, 1251 9th St, Arcata, CA 95521; Dell’Arte International, PO Box 816 Blue Lake, CA 95525.

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