Armand Charles LeMay Jr (known by his loved ones as Chuck) was born on June 9, 1933 in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho, to Armand (Monte) and Marie LeMay. He was the middle child between older sister, Evelyn, and younger sister, Corky.

In the early years of WW2, when Chuck was around 11, the LeMay family moved to Kenmore, Washington so his dad could work in the shipyards. There he spent the rest of his youth in and around the greater Seattle area. During his senior year, Chuck worked as a garbage man for his uncle Jim, who owned Eastside Disposal.

Chuck has always had a fun sense of humor! In high school he and a buddy made a man-sized dummy. They tied a rope around it and after dark they would toss the dummy in front of an oncoming car. Before the driver had a chance to get out and check on the person they’d hit, the guys would pull the dummy back into the bushes!

At 18, Chuck joined the Navy and thoroughly enjoyed a 30-year career, retiring as a Master Chief in 1975. The Navy valued him so much that he continued in Civil Service for another 15 years. Chuck’s Navy career took him to many places, including Vietnam, Korea, Okinawa, Japan, the Philippines, Guam, Thailand, Australia and his long-time home, Whidbey Island. The most important place the Navy sent Chuck, however, was to Millington, Tennessee where he met the love of his life, Melba Ree Wilder.

After getting notarized permission from his parents (he was only 20 and she 21) they were married at Harmony Baptist Church in Ecru, Mississippi. His future father-in-law bet Chuck (a yankee!) $5 he wouldn’t say “I reckon” instead of “I do”. Chuck, of course, won that bet. The money came in handy when they got a flat tire on their trip home.

Chuck was truly the patriarch of his large family and led by example. He could fix 90% of the malfunctioning things we brought to him. And the other 10%, he made better by just being there. Despite facing war, cancer twice, and Alzheimer’s in his later years, Chuck was known for his generosity, kindness and un-flaggable choice to see each day as a blessing. He inspired three generations of family to be better humans and to value others; to be grateful and to say so; And to follow the Lord. He prayed for his family daily all the way to the end.

On Veterans’ Day, November 11, 2025, Chuck joined Melba and their son Skip (Armand C. LeMay III) in heaven, and at last saw his Savior face to face.

Melba Ree (Wilder) LeMay was born the second of four children to Erskine and Jewell Wilder on September 28, 1932 in Ecru, Mississippi on the old home place at the end of a country dirt road. Though she grew up in a poor family, Melba finished high school and even attended a secretarial school in Memphis where she began working for a small law firm. She lived in a women’s boarding house and told some crazy stories about that time. Late one night she and a friend rolled empty Coke bottles down the wooden stairs just for fun!

She also went to dances at the local USO. Melba loved to tell the story of being on the dance floor in the arms of another man when she looked up and saw a tall, gorgeous sailor coming down the stairs. Their eyes met, and he winked at her! The rest is a love story that saw them married for 69 years, until Melba beat Chuck to heaven by three years.

Melba was a dedicated Navy wife who followed her sailor to Kansas, Tennessee, California, Washington, Hawaii, and Guam. She overcame her fears as a young Southern woman being thrown to the Yankees and loyally supported Chuck during his deployments, while raising their three children, Barbi, Armand III (Skip) and Teena. She taught her kids to honor and respect their father, love God, and love family.

In later years Melba was known for the beauty and quality of the many crafts she produced. The Red Barn boutique was a Christmastime highlight for people on Whidbey Island; people even came from out of state to shop there, and it made their barn shaped home a landmark. Melba matched Chuck with her humor and added in her southern drawl. She loved gardening, garage sales, and iced tea. She dearly loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Each one of them was the smartest, most beautiful (or handsome) thing she’d ever seen and she lit up when they walked in, often asking for a “Yankee dime”.

On September 5, 2022 Melba exchanged this life for one in Glory. And now she and Chuck are dancing on streets of gold.

Chuck and Melba are survived by their oldest and youngest daughters, Barbi May and Teena Morrissey, Chuck was preceded in death by their son, Armand C. (Skip) LeMay III, though Skip was by Melba’s side at her passing. In addition, Chuck and Melba leave a continuing legacy of twelve grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren. A celebration of life for both Chuck and Melba will be held at 1pm December 5th at Wallin Stucky Funeral Home in Oak Harbor, WA.