Charles Ervin McGee (1934 - 2013)

Born 11 Oct 1934 in Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi

Ancestors

Son of Egbert Swilley McGee and Fonzie (Driggers) McGee

Husband of Laura Rachel (Helms) McGee — married 3 Sep 1954 in Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, Denver County, Colorado

Descendants

Died 28 Dec 2013 at age 79 in St Augustine, St Johns County, Florida

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Debi Hoag [send private message] and Margaret Dimsdale [send private message]

Biography

Charles Ervin McGee was born on 11 October 1934 in Columbia, Mississippi, to Edward Swillie McGee and Fonzie Driggers McGee. His father was a railroad employee who worked his way up in the roundhouses to eventually be a supervisor. Swillie was sent to various locations throughout the southeast, taking his family with him. By the time Charles was 14 years old, they had lived in nine different locations. It's no wonder, then, that wanderlust was in his blood, and staying in one place did not suit him.

Charles E. McGee is a Military Veteran.
Served in the United States Air Force 1953-1973
Served with the Tactical Air Command in Japan, Germany, England, Thailand, and Okinawa.

He joined the United States Air Force the first time on 14 December 1953 in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

In March 1954, while he was a member of the Student Squadron, Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, Colorado, Charles began writing to Rachel Helms, sister of another Squadron member, Jackson Helms. Their correspondence culminated in marriage when Rachel accompanied her parents on a trip to Colorado to meet their first grandchild, the son of Jackson and Merle Collins Helms born in early August. The family arrived on approximately 29 August 1954. On September 3, Charles and Rachel were married in a ceremony performed by Daniel L Newman, Chaplain USAF. She never again returned to the family home in Union County, North Carolina for more than short visits. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

In 1957, Charles and Rachel were living in Southern California and expecting their first child. He was sent on a temporary duty assignment to Guam but returned before the child was due. Unfortunately, the child died while Rachel was in labor at the military hospital on March Air Force Base. On delivery, it was discovered that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck three times. This had a devastating effect on the couple.^[7]

It was time for Charles to re-enlist for another four years but they both felt a need to be away from all things military. He separated from the USAF in October 1957 and they moved to Jacksonville where they planned to farm. Charles often said 1957 was the coldest winter ever recorded in Jacksonville. The farm suffered and he had trouble finding work. In September 1958, faced with the upcoming birth of their second child, Charles and Rachel decided going back into the military was their best option.^[8]

He re-enlisted in September 1958 but was deferred until after Deborah's birth in November. At that point, he had three days to be at his first assignment on MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. Their third child was born while they were stationed at MacDill. ^{[9] [10] [11] [12]}

He spent the next 16 years as a member of the Air Force and was stationed in Florida, California, and on Tactical Air Command bases in Europe and Asia. A Residences list is available if you are interested in his travels through the years. In 1973, Charles was assigned to Homestead Air Force Base in Homestead, Dade County, Florida, to serve the last year of his final term. Not wanting his family in the Miami area, he settled them in a rental house next to his mother. He retired from the Air Force on 1 November 1974 from Homestead Air Force Base, Dade County, Florida, returning to the family in Leesburg. He went to work for the Lake County School Board as part of the Audio Visual Department where he remained until his second retirement in 1995.^[13]

Rachel died in 1996. Charles remained in Lake County for another 15 years, then moved to St Augustine, St Johns County, Florida, to live near his younger daughter, Margaret McGee Dimsdale. He died there on 28 December 2013. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the favorite ponds, lakes, and river places of his family and friends. A headstone was placed at the foot of Rachel's grave in Lone Oak Cemetery, Leesburg, Lake County, Florida.^[14][15]

Research Notes

This profile is Genealogically Defined. It has a biographical narrative with sources for each of the four major events in a person's life (as appropriate): Birth, Marriage, Children, and Death.

Potential Evidence

• The relationships to father E. S. McGee and daughter Debi (McGee) Hoag are suggested by a 61.4 cM autosomal DNA match between Debi McGee Hoag GEDmatch G293623 and her paternal fourth cousin Larry Hayer GEDmatch A037820; more cousin matches are needed for triangulation.

Sources

1. ↑ His middle name is spelled Irvin on his #Birth Certificate. His parents are named as Edward Swillie McGee and Fonzie Diggers.
2. ↑ His 1957 #Record of Emergency Data provided month and day of birth (11 October); the year of birth is shown as 1935 which is incorrect. All other records found to date show 1934.
3. ↑ His #1957 DD-214 shows his middle name spelled Ervin, date of birth as 11 October 1934, and provides his initial enlistment date.
4. ↑ #Ephemera: #Affidavit providing permission for underage son to marry
5. ↑ #Letters between Charles McGee and Rachel Helms
6. ↑ The #1954 Marriage License is signed by Jimmie E Black and Merle C Helms as witnesses.
7. ↑ Baby Boy McGee, California Certificate of Fetal Death. 1957
8. ↑ Charles McGee, interview by Deborah McGee regarding Oct 1957-Sept 1958, 21 March 1997.
9. ↑ His #1957 DD-214 and re-enlistment papers provide dates of separation and enlistment.
10. ↑ #1957 Certificate of Fetal Death found in personal papers of Rachel McGee following her death.
11. ↑ #1958 Birth Certificate lists Charles as Airmen 1st Class, United States Air Force.
12. ↑ #1960 Birth Certificate has the family living in Tampa, Florida, where Charles is stationed at MacDill Air Force Base.
13. ↑ Paragraph based on information taken from the #Ephemera of he and Rachel's life
14. ↑ His #Death Certificate gives death date and location.
15. ↑ Personal knowledge of Debi Hoag who helped make the arrangements.

• The maternal relationship to mother Fonzie "Peggy" McGee and paternal relationship to daughter Debi McGee Hoag are confirmed by a 70.8 cM DNA match between Debi McGee Hoag GEDmatch G293623 and her paternal third cousin Nancy Rose GEDmatch A125363.

Note: All sources for Charles are in the Special Collection of Deborah McGee Cundiff Hoag, Leesburg, Florida 34788. Documents are located in the Charles McGee File unless otherwise noted and will be placed online when privacy statutes have expired.

• Charles Ervin McGee, Mississippi Birth Certificate. Primary Source File, Record #31
• Charles E McGee on the 1940 Census. Edward McGee Family. 1940 United States Federal Census. General Population Schedule. Cooks, Fulton, Georgia; Roll: T627_674; Page: 7B & 8A; Enumeration District: 60-1. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line viewed 10 December 2015] (http://interactive.ancestry.com/2442/M-T0627-00674-00020 and http://interactive.ancestry.com/2442/M-T0627-00674-00021). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Citing original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.
• E. S. McGee Family. 1945 State Census. Sumter County, Precinct 3. Wildwood. Third Family from bottom of page. Ancestry.com. Florida, State Census, 1867-1945 [database on-line viewed on 28 October 2015] (http://interactive.ancestry.com/1506/CSUSAFL1867_089334-00714/1440649). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Citing original data: Schedules of the Florida State Census of 1885; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M845, 13 Rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington D.C. Eleventh census of the state of Florida, 1945; (Microfilm series S 1371, 43 reels); Record Group 001021; State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
• Charles McGee and Rachel Laura Helms, Colorado Marriage License. Primary Source File, Record #32
• Baby Boy McGee, California Certificate of Fetal Death. Rachel Helms McGee File
• Deborah McGee, Florida Certificate of Live Birth. Primary Source File, Record #27
• Margaret McGee, Florida Certificate of Live Birth. Rachel Helms McGee File
• Charles E McGee, Florida Certificate of Death. Primary Source File, Record #394
• Ephemera:
  • Miscellaneous Military Papers of Charles E McGee.
    • Record of Emergency Data, 6 April 1957.
    • DD-214, 21 October 1957. Primary Source File, Record #21.
    • Allotment Authorization adding Rachel to his military pay records (will add date when I find the record
    • Notification of allotment being mailed again
    • Duty Roster
    • Guam Special Orders Number 185, 12 September 1958
    • NCO Prep School Letter
  • Charles E McGee and Rachel Helms McGee, Miscellaneous Papers collected from the home following his death.
    • Charles McGee and Rachel Helms Letters from 5 March 1954 to 25 August 1954. Currently in the possession of Margaret McGee Dimsdale.
    • Correspondence from Fonzie Driggers McGee to Charles McGee, containing an Affidavit stating vital information regarding the family and a Notarized Consent for Minor Son Marry. Fonzie D McGee (730 Superior St, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida). 31 August 1954. Primary Source File, Record #296.
    • Letter from Charles McGee to "Mom (Seena Helms) and all" dated October 14, 1954
    • 1957 Cremation Record and Mortuary Receipt for Baby Boy McGee
    • 1957 Letter from Rev V. W. Burtt following the stillbirth of their son
    • Statement of Personal History, September 10, 1958 prepared as part of his re-enlistment in the USAF.
    • Letter from Rachel to Mom, Dad & All dated February 1, 1955
    • Letter from Rachel to "Mom and all" dated March 2, 1955
    • Letter from Alice Love Purvis to Rachel Helms McGee dated 11 July 1957
    • Story of Our Baby - Baby Book of daughter Deborah Ann McGee
      • Hospital Bill for birth of daughter Deborah 1958
      • Original Doctor's Receipt
      • Immunization Record
      • Picture of House - 3617 Ohio Avenue, Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida
      • Picture of House - 3820 Everett Avenue, Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida
    • Vaccination Records for Rachel Helms McGee and Deborah Ann McGee
    • Passport of Rachel Helms McGee
    • Florida Loan Payment Record - Munroe & Chambliss National Bank of Ocala,
    • Form 1099 - Munroe & Chambliss National Bank of Ocala, Florida & Forest Improvement Co
    • Miscellaneous Records Pertaining to daughter Deborah
      • Shot Record
      • Progress Reports & Withdrawal Papers
      • Passport issued 21 September 1970
    • Household Goods Descriptive Inventory
    • 26 February 1974 Letter Davis McLin, Burnsed, & Austin letter
    • 21 August1981 Rachel's Eyeglass prescription from Dr Sam W Williams, Optometrist
    • 1982 Contract for Mark C Cundiff's Headstone Stone
    • Letter from Alice Love Purvis to Rachel Helms McGee. Located in Baucom Family File
    • 1996 Florida Death Certificate of Rachel McGee. Primary Source File, Record #34
    • 25 February 1996 Letter to friends from Charles, Deborah & Margaret telling of Rachel's death dated February 25, 1996
    • 7 November 2000 Envelope from birthday card he sent to daughter, Deborah