Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Charles Wilson Larzelere III, 83, passed away peacefully Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, at home with his wife, Marie, at his side.
Chuck was born April 1, 1934, in New London, Conn., to retired U.S. Coast Guard Charles W. Larzelere Jr. and Marjorie Robb Larzelere. Chuck and Marie were childhood sweethearts married for 59 years. Chuck graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958 and went off to Pensacola, Fla., for flight training, flying both fixed wing and jet aircraft.
Chuck and Marie would eventually move a total of 17 times throughout his career. Chuck attended the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., and received his Master’s Degree in Political Science from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He was a highly decorated Naval officer receiving the Legion of Merit Award and many other commendations during his 30-year Naval career. The proudest achievement of his Naval Aviation career as commanding officer of VRF-31, Norfolk, Va., was flying the last operational seaplane (P-5 Marlin) to the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., where it all began.
Chuck leaves behind his wife, Marie; two daughters, Marjorie Lynn Cromwell and Christina Marie Heath; brother, retired U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Alexander Robb Larzelere, and his wife, Rita; sons-in-law, J. Mark Cromwell and Frederick T. Heath Jr.; four grandchildren, Frederick Theodore Heath III (Debra), Devon Christopher Heath (Bethany), Joshua Charles Cromwell (Nicole) and Chelsea Marie Cromwell; and three great-grandchildren, Milan McClary Heath, Piper McHugh Heath and Joshua Holden Cromwell. Chuck was preceded in death by his two sons, Charles Wilson Larzelere IV and Christopher John Larzelere. Chuck also leaves behind many loving family members and friends.
Funeral services with full military honors will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 8, at H.D. Oliver Apts., Laskin Road Chapel, Virginia Beach.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
“Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds –
and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of.”
High Flight, John Gillespie Magee Jr.
Share online condolences with the family at hdoliver.com.
