Charles Martin Coppedge III

Charles Martin Coppedge, III, known to many as Chuck, Shug or Major, passed away peacefully at the age of 95 in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2025. A long time resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Charles was born in McAlester, Oklahoma on August 8th, 1929 to Lorraine Fultz Coppedge and Charles Martin Coppedge, II. After moving to Tulsa in 1942 he went to Roosevelt Junior High and graduated from Tulsa Central High School, class of 1947. Charles then attended college at the University of California, Los Angeles where he pledged Phi Delta Theta fraternity and was a member of one of the first classes of the Air Force ROTC program at UCLA.

Upon graduation Charles entered the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant, initially serving as a flight instructor and ultimately as a career fighter pilot. A member of the 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Charles was based at various locations around the world including Landstuhl and Hahn Air Bases in West Germany, Hamilton Air Base in Novato, California as well as postings in France, Austria, Switzerland, England and Libya. Piloting his beloved F-86 Sabre, F4 Phantoms and F-111 Aardvarks, Charles flew missions in both the Korean and Vietnam wars before retiring from the Air Force with a rank of Major in 1968. Following his USAF retirement, Charles accepted an invitation to and joined the Ancient and Secret Society of Quiet Birdmen.

Returning stateside after his Air Force career, Charles worked for Williams Brothers Engineering Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma until 1980 and then took a management job with the Department of Energy-Strategic Petroleum Reserve and lived in Metairie, Louisianna. After retiring from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in 1988, Charles moved to Tubac, Arizona where he enjoyed playing golf at the numerous area courses. Charles then moved back to Tulsa in 1995, residing in the Park Plaza South neighborhood. He was a member of Boston Avenue Methodist Church.

Charles is predeceased by his mother Lorraine Fultz Coppedge Thompson, his father Charles Martin Coppedge II, his brother and sister-in-law, Donald Leroy Coppedge and Bettye Suzanne Crawford Coppedge, his sister and brother-in-law, Lou Coppedge Anderson and George Billy Anderson, and his nephew, Dana Coppedge. He is survived by nieces Leslie Anderson, Lucy Anderson, Denise Coppedge and D’on Coppedge and nephews, Derek Coppedge and Sonny Anderson.

The family would like to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the caregivers, nurses, cooks and incredible staff at Arden Courts Memory Care and Magnolia Hospice in Austin, Texas, where Charles enjoyed living the last two years of his life. The attention, care, patience and unconditional affection that every single one of Charles’ caretakers provided to him gave him immense joy and enabled his life’s twilight to be of the highest quality possible.

At Charles' request, his memorial service was a private family-only event. He also asked that friends and loved ones strongly consider donating to The Common Good-Tulsa (https://www.cgtulsa.org/donate) or Oklahoma Alliance for Animals (https://animalallianceok.org/).