Colonel Army (Ret.)

LADY'S ISLAND - Charles White Stockell, 92, of Beaufort, SC passed away peacefully on March 13 after a short illness, finishing a life of service to his country and community.  He was born July 15, 1922 in Washington, DC to the late Judge Henry Cooper Stockell, Sr and the late Pauline Dunn Lewis Stockell.

Charles was a career US Army officer, retiring in 1972 at the rank of full Colonel.  His military service began as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1943 during World War II.  His first combat action was the assault on Omaha Beach on D-Day in Normandy, France with the 2nd Infantry Division.  As a forward artillery observer both on the ground and in the air, he fought his way through Europe earning four Purple Hearts, Bronze Star, WWII Campaign Medals, several Air Medals, and the Belgian Fouraguerre among other military awards.  He was still with the 2nd Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge and was a member of one of the first American units making contact with the Russian Army advancing from the east and sealing the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Upon his return home and discharge from the Army, he finished his college education at Vanderbilt University, where he met and married the love of his life, Lee McNeilly and subsequently entered the business world.  Upon the start of the Korean War, he re-entered the Army and later opted to join the strategic intelligence branch.  After learning to speak Russian and attending Foreign Area Specialist training, he served as a military attache' assigned to the US Embassy in the Soviet Union.  He remained in strategic intelligence work concentrating on the Soviet Union for the remainder of his Army career, having several commands, attending Command And General Staff College, attending and then teaching at the US Army War College, and becoming one of the top specialists in his field. During his busy career in the military, he found time to travel to over 70 countries and almost every continent, enjoying and learning from their cultures and hunting and fishing in many of them including in Africa, Asia and Europe.

After retiring from the Army, Charles and Lee settled on Lady's Island near Beaufort following the birth of their son, Duncan.  They were attracted to the area by the warm, gentle nature of Beaufortonians and by the great hunting, fishing, golf and natural beauty of Beaufort County.  Unable to sit still and quiet in retirement, Charles became the executive director of the Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce for the next 10 years, becoming very involved with local events and activities.  However, perhaps the achievement he was most proud of while at the Chamber was his founding and publication of the successful Beaufort, Land of Isles magazine, which detailed not only points of interest around the county but also educated residents, tourists and newcomers alike on the rich history, diversity and natural splendors of the area.  In addition, he became a professor at USC-Beaufort, teaching courses on international affairs and the Russian/Soviet threats around the world at the time.

During this time and after his full retirement from professional life in the early 1990s, he continued to travel the world extensively, hunting, fishing and having adventures in Africa and South America into his 80s with a variety of friends and with Lee and Duncan and others in his family.  He often spoke to community and school groups about his wartime experiences and about historical topics and was a proud member and often a leader in several organizations.  They include The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and the Thursday Club, at which he was a colorful joke teller.  Also, he was a great supporter of The Citadel military college, from which Duncan graduated in 1994. On behalf of The Citadel, Charles and Lee founded the Colonel Duncan Cooper Armed Forces Scholarship, named in honor of an illustrious family member who served as a colonel on the staff of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest.  Much joy was brought to his life in 2005 when he gained a sweet and beautiful daughter-in-law, Kimberly O'Keefe Stockell, upon the marriage of his son.  Recently, he was honored in 2011 by order of the President of France for his part in that nation's liberation during WWII by presenting him with the French Legion of Honor at the French Consulate in Atlanta.

Charles lived as full a life as anyone has ever had and leaves behind family and friends that love him and will remember him fondly.  He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lee McNeilly Stockell, his son Duncan Cooper Stockell, his daughter-in-law Kimberly O'Keefe Stockell, and many beloved cousins.

Charles' life will be celebrated at a graveside service at the Beaufort National Cemetary with full military honors at 11 o'clock Thursday, March 19.  The family will receive visitors afterward provided by Lee's church circle in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort.