Official Obituary of
Charles Tomlinson, III
October 28, 1945 ~ January 3, 2025 (age 79) 79 Years Old
Charles Tomlinson Obituary
Charles Weldon Tomlinson III peacefully died in his sleep on January 3, 2025 at the age of 79.
Born in Wichita Falls and raised in Duncan, Charles was adept at sports in his youth, playing Little League baseball and football as a Duncan Demon. After graduating from Duncan Senior High School in 1965, Charles joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was ultimately sent to Vietnam where he served as an infantryman with the first marine unit to land in Vietnam at DaNang in late 1965. While he rarely discussed his tour in Vietnam in detail, he did reveal that he engaged in firefights, fended off leeches and played poker (saving enough to buy a car).
Upon return to the States in 1966, Charles was in an auto accident near Quantico, VA that caused severe brain damage, rendering him disabled for the rest of his life. Despite this injury, Charles worked hard at re-learning to walk and how to speak. Unwilling to sit still, Charles attended Cameron College (later Cameron University) in Lawton, staying in a dormitory, making friends and taking courses. After his mother and stepfather moved to Dallas, Charles moved to Dallas and lived semi-independently in his own apartment. After his mother died in 2000, his sister, Mary Stewart, moved Charles to Tulsa to be close to her. When Mary moved to Oklahoma City, Charles moved with her, ultimately residing at Bellevue Health and Rehab. He was known at Bellevue as the loudest and most friendly resident, yelling hello and how are you to anyone who passed his room.
The Tomlinson family wishes to thank the many caregivers who assisted Charles at Bellevue, including Lydia Vogt, Heather Helton, Sabrina Sullivan, Kirsten Prekopy, Brian Sturtz, Morgan Ibe with Lifecare Hospice, Mark Lenart with Right at Home, and nurses Hailee, Nikki, Annie and Melissa and aides Amber, Adrianna and Nikki at Bellevue.
A memorial service will be held at the Whitt Funeral Home in Duncan on January 18, at 11 am, and a private burial service will follow.
Born in Wichita Falls and raised in Duncan, Charles was adept at sports in his youth, playing Little League baseball and football as a Duncan Demon. After graduating from Duncan Senior High School in 1965, Charles joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was ultimately sent to Vietnam where he served as an infantryman with the first marine unit to land in Vietnam at DaNang in late 1965. While he rarely discussed his tour in Vietnam in detail, he did reveal that he engaged in firefights, fended off leeches and played poker (saving enough to buy a car).
Upon return to the States in 1966, Charles was in an auto accident near Quantico, VA that caused severe brain damage, rendering him disabled for the rest of his life. Despite this injury, Charles worked hard at re-learning to walk and how to speak. Unwilling to sit still, Charles attended Cameron College (later Cameron University) in Lawton, staying in a dormitory, making friends and taking courses. After his mother and stepfather moved to Dallas, Charles moved to Dallas and lived semi-independently in his own apartment. After his mother died in 2000, his sister, Mary Stewart, moved Charles to Tulsa to be close to her. When Mary moved to Oklahoma City, Charles moved with her, ultimately residing at Bellevue Health and Rehab. He was known at Bellevue as the loudest and most friendly resident, yelling hello and how are you to anyone who passed his room.
The Tomlinson family wishes to thank the many caregivers who assisted Charles at Bellevue, including Lydia Vogt, Heather Helton, Sabrina Sullivan, Kirsten Prekopy, Brian Sturtz, Morgan Ibe with Lifecare Hospice, Mark Lenart with Right at Home, and nurses Hailee, Nikki, Annie and Melissa and aides Amber, Adrianna and Nikki at Bellevue.
A memorial service will be held at the Whitt Funeral Home in Duncan on January 18, at 11 am, and a private burial service will follow.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Charles Tomlinson, III, please visit our floral store.
© 2026 Whitt Funeral Home. All Rights Reserved. Funeral Home website by CFS & TA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility