Norman Frank Charboneau

Norman Frank Charboneau, CWO-4 USMC (retired), beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away peacefully at home in Newport surrounded by his family on September 3, 2011.
A Funeral mass will be held at 10am Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at St. Egbert Catholic Church. A Rite of Christian Burial will follow at Gethsemane Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Tuesday, September 6, 2011 from 6-8pm at Munden Funeral Home.
He leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Alice M. Charboneau, daughters Audrey M. Fisher and husband Willis, of Beaufort, NC, Susan C. Holland and husband Gregg of Greenville, NC, Norma C. Wagaman and very special friend Jody Merrit of Morehead City, sons Commander Norman F. Charboneau, Jr. (Guy) and wife Lu, of Gaithersburg, MD, and Roy A. Charboneau and wife Sheyla, of Irmo, SC.  He also leaves behind eleven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, and three step-great grandchildren, his sister-in-law Esther Angel and husband Bob, niece Leighia Jones and husband Rob, and his faithful friend and companion Kerry.
Norman was born to Frank Charboneau and Beatrice Gendron Charboneau on September 28, 1933 in Lincoln Park, MI. He was educated in the public schools in Wayne, MI and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on August 28, 1952, serving until December 1, 1978. He held the distinction as having flown more different USMC EW aircraft than any pilot or ECMO. As a junior enlisted ECMO, he flew AD-2Q, AD-3Ns, and AD-4Ns in post-war Korea with VMC-1, then AD-5Ns with the squadron in Hawaii. In 1958 he transitioned to the F3D-2Q (later EF-10B) at El Toro and deployed to Japan with VMCJ-1 flying Shark Fin missions around the periphery of our Pacific adversaries North Korea, China, and Russia. He joined VMCJ-2 afterwards and was one of the first to fly reconnaissance missions around Cuba in the early 1960s. As a Warrant Officer he was among the first ECMOs to transition to the new EA-6As and EF-10Bs. Back in VMCJ-2 he later flew the last of the squadrons EF-10Bs to the boneyard in Arizona in late 1969. In 1971 he was on the first EA-6A carrier det which deployed to the Mediterranean aboard the USS Forrestal and crossed decked to two other carriers. After serving his country proudly in the USMC, Norman was employed by Conner Homes Corporation, Walmart, and Kurtis Chervolet.
Norman enjoyed working in his garage workshop building small pieces of furniture and lawn ornaments for family and friends, trading cars, and eating at the Kountry Kitchen.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Verna Schramm, Pauline Singer, and Bernice Nichols all of Michigan.
The Charboneau family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Kristinia Gaintautiene for her care, love, and kindness to Norman during his extended illness.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the American Cancer Society at P.O. Box 22718 Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 or St. Egbert Catholic School at 1705 Evans Street, Morehead City, NC 28557.

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