About Charlie

I was born in Fayetteville NC in 1965. Raised as an “Army Brat”, my mother raised me and my two older sisters through many years while my father was in Vietnam. We lived a very modest life, but a wonderful one. My mother was an immigrant from Germany and my father, a soldier and a sailor. My mother came to America and did the following: Learned English, Studied hard to become an American citizen and went to work. She was such a wonderful example to us all. We moved to Texas in 1971 where my father worked at the Army base at Fort Hood. We lived there until 1980 when we moved to Karlsruhe Germany. I graduated High School at the Karlsruhe American High School in 1983.

 

After passing the Nuclear School test, I decided to join the Navy and became an Aviation Electronics Technician. I became an E-5 after just two years in the Navy and soon became Shop Supervisor. I was privileged to do a 9 month Mediterranean-Indian Ocean cruise aboard the USS Saratoga. Being based with an A-6 Intruder squadron, Atkron VA-85, I was sent to do intermediate maintenance on many different kinds of aircraft, A-6, F-14, F-18, H-3, EA-6B and the list goes on. We were awarded many combat awards for our role in the bombing of Libya and capturing the PLO terrorists responsible for the murder of a disabled American tourist Leon Klinghoffer aboard the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro, and throwing his body overboard with his wheelchair. Following that particular cruise, I got to go on another cruise, again based aboard the USS Saratoga. In 1989, I made my last cruise aboard the USS Independence, when we took her from Norfolk, VA. to San Francisco, CA. I was honorably discharged from the Navy after serving our great country for 6 years.

I came to Missouri where my parents had bought The Software Center in April of 1989 and have lived here ever since. I am a member of First Baptist Church in Webb City. In my Chriatian walk, I have been a Bus Director where we pickup about 150 children each week for Sunday School. I also served as church treasurer and as a Deacon.

I married Laura Lujuan Lee September 14th, 1991 in Exeter, MO. We have three children, Jennifer (19), Timothy (14) and Robert (6.) My wife is a homemaker and probably works more than most of us. Not only does she take care of me, our home and children, she also home schooled our 3 children for many years. She is a gem! We have lived in the same house in Webb City for the past 14 years until we had to move because of redistricting.

I have served in the Missouri House of Representatives for 2 years and and a member of the following committees: