Charles Clifford Mahaffey, 92, of Ellensburg, Wash., formerly of Chester, SD, passed away on Dec 2, 2013. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at Kahler Funeral Home. A graveside service will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Chester.

Charles, also known as Charlie or Clifford, was born in Casper Wyo. on April 17th, 1921, to Charles Clifford Mahaffey Sr. and Lillian Savage Mahaffey. He lived in Casper through his early school years, until moving to Marlow, Okla. to attend high school. After graduating from Marlow High School in 1939, he found work in Seattle, Wash.

He joined the Merchant Marines and before shipping off to Asia, met his future wife, Doris Anita Peterson (Dorie). After their first date he missed Dorie terribly and kept up the romance with frequent letters. In Charlie's absence, Dorie moved back to her childhood home in Chester, So. Dak. When Charlie landed in port again, he proposed.

They married in Los Angeles, Calif. in 1942. Charlie went back to sea and Dorie moved to Seattle, to be near her mother Ingaborg Peterson and sister Eva Peterson Schmidt. Their first son, Michael C. Mahaffey, was born in 1944 in Kirkland, Wash. Charlie's daughter, Molly Mahaffey Morrow, was born in 1952.

At the end of World War II, Charlie and Dorie moved to Kirlkland, Wa., with their son Mike. Charlie began his lifelong career at the Boeing Airplane Company in 1946. His first job involved drilling holes to install the top turret of the B17 heavy bomber. Charlie worked at Boeing for 31 years, working on significant airplanes including the B29, B47, B52, Dash 80 (707 prototype), 727A

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