In Memory: Charles "Chuck" Samuel '56, OD '57

Charles "Chuck" Samuel '56, OD '57, former chief of optometry at Kaiser Permanente N.W., died June 29, 2020 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was born in Portland, graduated from Grant High in 1952 and earned his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from Pacific University in 1956 and 1957. He married his high school sweetheart, Donna Jean Pickett, in March of 1956. After college he served in the U.S. Air Force from 1957-1968 as a doctor of optometry and radio operator. Upon leaving full-time duty in the Air Force he worked as a manufacturing engineer at Tektronix.

In 1971 he opened his own optometric practice in Tigard and Beaverton. He served as the executive secretary of the Oregon State Board of Optometry from 1977-1983. In 1987 he joined Kaiser Permanente N.W. Division as the chief of optometry, retiring in 1999.

Charles was an active member of Rotary Int'l, Elks, Masons and Scottish Rite. He was instrumental for years in the Tigard Area Chamber of Commerce and was named First Citizen of Tigard in 1983. His hobbies included photography, amateur radio, motorcycles and traveling the country by trailer and RV.

He is survived by his wife, Donna; his children, Chris (Terri) Samuel, Sheri (Tim) Jones and Marianne (Scott) Stone; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and his brother, Robert (Terry) Samuel.