Charles "Chuck"  Murray, 87, of Alpine, CA, passed away on October 05, 2024 after battling prostate cancer. Chuck was born in Peoria, Illinois. He was fourth in a family of six children. Like his father, Ken Murray, Chuck was fascinated by physics, mechanics, and electricity.  At the age of nine he would go around the neighborhood collecting appliances that needed repair, take them home, fix them, and charge a nickel or dime for the job. 

In 1958 Chuck began working for Keystone Steel and Wire Co. in Peoria and had the opportunity to get familiar with many kinds of electrical equipment there. At the same time, he was developing a keen interest in America's space program. In 1965, he found out that RCA was giving examinations and taking applications for electronic technicians at Cape Canaveral. Chuck never took an exam that he didn't ace and this one was no exception. RCA gave him the job and asked him to move to Florida. 

Chuck became not only a camera operator at Cape Canaveral, but also an expert troubleshooter. He studied the problems that all television cameras have with the major light change that occurs at the ignition of rocket motors at launch, then made modifications to the camera electronics and designed accessory products to improve the camera operation. As a result, of all of the television pictures of the first launch of a Saturn V rocket sent to the Manned Space Flight Center in Houston, only the pictures from his team's cameras did not go "blind" at lift-off. Chuck was subsequently asked if would be willing to be the camera operator to take close up television pictures of subsequent Saturn V launches, which meant he would have to be dangerously close to the the rocket.  Despite the risks, Chuck quickly agreed. He thus became the closest unprotected observer to Saturn V in the lunar landing mission, Apollo XI. This was his lifelong dream come true.

Chuck worked at Cape Canaveral until 1970. Due to cuts to the space program budget and subsequent layoffs, he was unable to stay on at RCA and decided to relocate his family to San Diego. He worked for Cohu Electronics for a number of years and then began his own business, Visual Communications Specialists. He continued designing, manufacturing and selling video cameras and motion detectors and their associated components until his retirement. Chuck then started a hobby that would allow him to continue to design and make electronic devices -  his backyard model railroad. He designed a sophisticated control board that would make the trains start, stop, slow down, speed up, and change directions. He also designed special electronically controlled model crossing gates that he made and sold. 

Chuck enjoyed volunteering. He worked with the Cocoa Beach Jaycees during his time in Florida and the Alpine Kiwanis Club in Alpine. He was active in the San Diego Model Railway Assocation and helped with their exhibit at the San Diego County Fair each year. He loved traveling in his motor home with his wife, Sue. They made many trips around the country visiting friends and family. They also loved camping and especially enjoyed visiting Yosemite National Park.

Toward the end of his life, Chuck would repeatedly say how lucky he felt to have come from his humble Midwest beginnings to achieving his dream of being a part of the space program in its most prominent time in history, as the closest observer to the rocket that launched the first man on the moon.  He is an example of what comes from believing in yourself, following your dreams, and never giving up.

Chuck is survived by his loving wife Susan Murray, daughters Crystal Renteria and Teri DeMarco, sons-in-law Humberto Renteria and Lou DeMarco, granddaughters Jessica Pimentel and Katie French, great-grandchildren Ryleigh Ortiz and Johnathan Pimentel, grandson-in-law Joseph Pimentel, sister Julia Strickfaden, and brother John Murray.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, two charities that were especially important to Chuck.

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