Charles Logan Kessie

Charles Logan Kessie, 77, of Georgetown, Texas, and formerly of Canadian, Texas, passed away June 16, 2024, at Tiffin House in Georgetown with his two daughters at his side.

Mr. Kessie will be interred in his hometown of Canadian, Texas. The dates for services will be announced at a later time.

Charles was born to Lovilla and W.A. Kessie, Jr., in Canadian, Texas, on February 3, 1947. He spent his entire childhood in Canadian, graduating from Canadian High School in 1964, winning the coveted Liske Cup awarded to the best all around student. Charles attended Texas A&M College and was a member of the Maroon Band Battalion of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band and the Corps of Cadets. He served in the bugle ranks his senior year.

While at Texas A&M, Charles married his high school sweetheart, Janie Lynn Jackson, on August 24, 1968. The two made their first home in married student housing. After earning his degree in education, Charles was commissioned into the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant. Months of training followed after which he reported to his first duty station in Schweinfurt, Germany. Janie joined him months later, already expecting their first child. Christina Grace was born on December 8, 1970.

Following that tour of duty, Charles attended Texas Tech Law School while simultaneously serving his summers at Fort Hood. Charles and Janie welcomed their second daughter, Elizabeth Jane on August 3, 1976. Shortly after Charles passed the Texas Bar Exam, the Kessies moved to Fort Knox, Kentucky, for Charles’ assignment as a Judge Advocate General.

After 10 years of active duty and achieving the rank of Captain, Charles resigned from the Army and the family returned to their hometown of Canadian. Charles joined his father-in-law, William J. Jackson, in law practice. Charles was appointed Hemphill County Attorney in 1985, and then was elected to the position multiple times. He held that position for 15 years, resigning in order to run for District Attorney of the 33rd Judicial District.

Charles continued to practice law in Canadian and the surrounding communities until his retirement in 2019. In addition to his dedicated legal work for the families and businesses of the Texas Panhandle, Charles provided invaluable Pro Bono services for nonprofit organizations and defendants. He served as appointed defense attorney for jurisdictions from Childress to Dalhart. In 2016, Charles was honored by The State Bar of Texas with the prestigious Frank J. Scurlock Award for performing exceptional work in the field of legal services to the poor in civil matters.

Charles also returned to military service with the U.S. Army Reserves attached to the 353rd Engineer Brigade out of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as the Assistant Judge Advocate and then the Judge Advocate. Charles retired completely from the Army after 18 years in the Reserves, having achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Charles spent much of his life serving others through membership and leadership with various organizations. An incomplete list includes: Rotary International, American Legion, the Freemasons, MS 150, High Plains Public Radio, Texas A&M Association of Former Students, Texas Aggie Band Association, State Bar of Texas, Northwestern Panhandle Bar Association, CASA, AOPA and Arbor Day. At various times, he was an active member of First Presbyterian Church, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, and First Methodist Church, all of Canadian; All Saints Episcopal Church of Perryton; St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church of Pampa; and finally Grace Episcopal Church of Georgetown.

Throughout his life, Charles enjoyed various passions. He appreciated and performed music with various instruments and his voice. He took piano lessons; played clarinet, saxophone and trombone in the Canadian Wildcat Band; marched with the trombone in The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band; and participated in various community and church bands and choirs. Even as his voice failed him, he continued to hum to the songs and hymns he recognized. His family gathered around and sang to him in his final hours.

Flight fascinated Charles at a very young age. He built model planes and carried that love to college, where he began studying aeronautical engineering. Though he changed majors, he never lost his love for all things airplane. He later owned his own Piper Cherokee 140, which he used to get back and forth from his Army Reserve weekends and to fly friends and family. Some of his favorite trips were to Oshkosh for the annual EAA AirVenture Fly In.

Charles and Janie also enjoyed road trips, making a great loop through California into the Pacific Northwest, and also finding a favorite spot in Sedona, Arizona. They also traveled in Europe, with school groups and a lovely Viking river cruise on which they visited their old military service stomping grounds.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents and by a grandson, Edwin Logan Barritt.

Charles is survived by his wife, Janie, of Georgetown, daughters Christina (Robert) Barritt of Lubbock and Elizabeth (Clint) Junell of Hickory Creek, grandchildren Samuel, Abigail, Brock, Kolbi, and Korbin, and brother The Reverend John Paul (The Reverend Linda) Kessie of Bastrop.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, Texas 77840. Please designate the Charles L. Kessie ’69 Memorial Corps of Cadets Scholarship in the memo line of the check. You can also donate online at txamfoundation.com/give. Other favorite suggested recipients are The Canadian Ex-student Scholarship Fund, Georgetown Public Library: https://library.georgetown.org/donate-to-the-library/, Rotary international: https://my.rotary.org/en/donate, Shriner’s Children’s: www.shrinerschildrens.org/en, and High Plains Public Radio: www.hppr.org.

A Celebration of life will be held Monday, July 22, 2024, at San Gabriel Presbyterian Church, 5404 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas, 78633 at 11 am.