Final rites for Charles E. (Charlie) Maple, 74, were held 2:30 PM Friday, November 24, 2006 at Ebenezer Cemetery near Kosse, TX., with Bro Jerry Lockhart officiating.He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Claudia Martin Maple, one daughter, Carol Maple Chatfield (David), of Houston; three sons, David Maple (Darla) of Elk City, Ok., Mark Maple (Lisa), of Bullard, TX., and Ted Maple (Corina) of Pearsall, TX., and a step-sister, Gail Deaton of Portales, NM.Ten grandchildren: Laura, John and Sarah Chatfield; Dawn McKenzie(James) and Jeremy Maple; Isaac and Joshua Maple; Dezirae, Mariah and Cheyenne Maple, also survive.His father, Clifford E. Maple, mother Drusilla Maple and step-mother, Esther Giles Maple as well as a brother, Tommy, preceded him in death.He was born in Oklahoma City, OK. June 9, 1932 and moved to Claude, TX. in 1948 where he graduated from Claude High School in 1950. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1954, earning a bachelor's degree in Journalism as well as a commission in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps.He served in the army for two years, 1954-1956, at Ft Lee, VA; Ft Bragg, NC and Ft Jackson, SC. He was promoted to first lieutenant while on active duty as battalion operations and training officer at Ft Bragg. He was a captain in the reserves until resigning his commission in 1981.Upon completion of his military duty, he returned to West Texas, and served as fire and police reporter for the Amarillo (TX) Globe-Times. He later became associate editor and state editor of the Shreveport Times.He also served as executive vice president of Chambers of Commerce in Minden, LA, Sapulka, OK, and Jacksonville, TX, before he became assistant Superintendent of the Texas State Railroad State Historical Park at Rusk, TX in 1981.He retired from the state parks systems in 1993 because of ill health. He and his wife were living in Pearsall, TX at the time of his death.Maple asked that memorials and remembrances be given to the Boy Scouts of America, which he served as a volunteer leader for some 25 years, or to a charity of the donor's choice. He always expressed his dislike for "the waste of beautiful flowers when remembrances could do so much good elsewhere."