SYRACUSE – Charles M. Prescott, 98, of Syracuse, passed away Nov. 11, 2012, in Miller’s Merry Manor, Warsaw. He was born June 27, 1914, near Cromwell, to Vincent and Elsie May Reed Prescott. On Oct. 15, 1940, he married Gladys Hill, who survives. After graduating from Cromwell High School he worked for farmers, building contractors and defense plants. During World War II, he began active service in the U.S. Navy Reserves in November 1943. He served in the armed guard on armed Merchant Marine Ships in the Asiatic Pacific American Theatre of war until being honorably discharged Dec. 28, 1945. He was a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan and Ball State universities. He was an elementary public school teacher and a pastor of the Wesleyan Church in Matthews. Four months prior to statehood, he began teaching in a public school along the Bearing Sea in the territory of Alaska. He transferred in 1961 to the Tustemena Public Schools on the Kenai Peninsula. Residents of South Central Alaska, including the peninsula, were vigorously shaken approximately six minutes during the March 24 Good Friday earthquake. Tremors occurred the following weeks. On the Kenai peninsula vigorous activities were progressing due to the discovery of oil, homesteading and local government organization of the Kenai Peninsula Borough and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District officially began operating July 1, 1964. After completing seven years as a teacher and principal, he was pleased to return to middle school and elementary teaching in the Borough Center City of Soldotna, Alaska, until retiring in 1978. He was a member and associate pastor of the Soldotna Church of the Nazarene. He was a life member of the Alaska Retired Education Association. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 14000. In 1992, he and Gladys moved to Diamond Lake near Ligonier before moving to Syracuse in 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Eastlund Funeral Home, 7458 E. CR 1000N, Syracuse, with the Revs. Bill Couchenour and James Lantz officiating. Burial will be in Oak Park Cemetery, Ligonier. Calling is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. ***** Memorials may be made to Indiana Wesleyan University, Olivet Nazarene University or Northwest Nazarene University. Condolences may be sent via eastlundfuneralhome.com
