Col. Charles (Chuck) Thomas Tatum, Sr. (USAF Ret.), loving husband and father, passed away June 27, 2021, in Allen, Texas at the age of 78. He was born on October 8, 1942, to Frank Perry Tatum, Sr., and Alma E. (Raper) Tatum in Liberty, Texas. Chuck graduated from Anahuac High School in Anahuac, Texas, and received his bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, later followed by his master’s degree from Troy State University in Montgomery, Alabama. On October 29, 1966, he married Carole Camille Tatum. He joined the Air Force after college and spent the next 27 years serving his country as a navigator, pilot, and in multiple leadership positions, throughout the United States and overseas. Chuck was a veteran of both the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War when he left the Air Force in 1992 with the rank of Colonel. After the Air Force, he became an instructor for Air Force pilots at Altus A.F.B., Oklahoma, before retiring in 2009 to College Station, Texas.
He was known for his hard work and determination, yet also a sense of humor that could bring a room to laughter. Chuck had a passion for cars, bulldogs, and a love of football and baseball. He was a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys and later in life became a devoted fan of Texas A&M.
Chuck is survived by his wife, Carole Tatum; sons, Randall Craig Tatum, Charles Thomas Tatum, Jr., William Richardson Tatum, and Jefferson Perry Tatum; daughter, Judith Carole Newcomb; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Alma Tatum, and his brothers, Frank Perry Tatum, Jr., and Robert Dale Tatum.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas. The service will also be live streamed at TJMfuneral.com on Chuck’s obituary page by clicking the following link: https://celebrationoflife.tv/blog/charles-thomas-tatum-sr. After the service, the recorded live stream will be available for viewing at the same link location. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Tuesday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home. A burial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 15, 2021, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.