March 19, 1924 - February 19, 2016

Family and friends gathered on February 26, 2016 to mourn the passing of Charles Richard Hutchinson, longtime Downey resident and community supporter. Services were held at the United Methodist Church of Downey, followed by a reception at the historic Casa de Parley Johnson. (The following has excerpts from a 2012 article in the Downey Patriot.)

Chuck was born in Akron, Ohio, but grew up in South Gate where his dad, Earl, went to work for Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. As a schoolboy, he had vivid memories of the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, raised chickens in the back yard, visited Oregon annually with his family, earned his Eagle rank in Boy Scouting. Starting UCLA in autumn 1941, college plans were interrupted when Chuck enlisted in the Army Air Corps the following spring. He had great pride in his service during World War II, especially his time as a sergeant directing seven personnel at a weather station outside Nome, Alaska. After the war, Chuck resumed his studies at UCLA, married Evelyn Pratt from Fresno, and finished his BS in business administration in 1949. His first position was supervising an accounting team at a manufacturer in South Gate, having never taken an accounting class. In 1953 he joined Thomas & Moore CPAs, Los Angeles, and passed his CPA exams in 1957. In the early 60s Chuck decided to go into business for himself, setting up his accounting and tax business in Downey. Chuck’s community/civic involvements were many: he was president of the Hospital Foundation of the Downey Community Hospital the year when the hospital negotiated the extension of its lease with the city to 99 years; he served on the city’s Hospital Commission from the very start of its formation in the 1960s. He was active over the years in the Masonic Lodge, serving as master of Downey Lodge No. 220. He served as Scoutmaster for his sons’ Boy Scout Troop, and proudly stated “We now have nine Eagle Scouts in our family”.  He was one of the oldest members of the Downey Rotary Club, past president 1974-75, and an avid supporter of the Rotary Foundation’s mission of international understanding through cultural exchange and education. March 19 would have been Chuck’s 92nd birthday.

Chuck is survived by his wife of67 years, Evelyn (Lynne), children Charles Jr. (Rick) and wife Sharon of Clovis, Kenneth and wife Ann of Downey, Nancy Brubaker and husband David of Los Altos, Thomas and wife Michele ofDowney, 6 grandsons, 5 granddaughters, one great-grandson, and sister Dorothy (Dolly) Hutchinson of Oregon. He is at rest in the Masonic Gardens area of Rose Hills, Whittier, California.