Topic starter
16/09/2011 3:22 pm
Capt. Charles W. Decker, well known as pilot for some 20 years aboard the Str. BELLE OF LOUISVILLE, passed away yesterday in New Albany at the age of 86. He was a native of Morgantown, Kentucky and was for many years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a master and pilot. He was an Army veteran of World War II. Preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Marie Decker, he is survived by two children, four grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 PM on Monday, September 19th at the Seabrook, Dieckmann and Naville Funeral home, 1119 East Market Street, New Albany. Visitation is on Sunday from noon until 8 PM. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to the Main Street United Methodist Church in New Albany.
Like most river people, Capt. Charlie was always very friendly and kind, enjoying "talking river" whenever possible, whether in a grocery store aisle or the pilothouse! He will be greatly missed by all of us who were privileged to know him. A long and two shorts of the whistle in memory of a consummate riverman and gentleman.
18/09/2011 1:18 pm
I could always tell when Capt. Decker was on watch by the smooth, steady motion of the engine room telegraph in any situation, with as few bells as possible. I sailed through many storms with Capt. Decker and was always comforted and felt at ease in those tense moments knowing he was at the wheel.
18/09/2011 5:44 pm
Dan Lewis;27309 wrote: I could always tell when Capt. Decker was on watch by the smooth, steady motion of the engine room telegraph in any situation, with as few bells as possible. I sailed through many storms with Capt. Decker and was always comforted and felt at ease in those tense moments knowing he was at the wheel.
That's the greatest compliment an engineer can pay to a pilot. My deepest sympathy to the Decker family.
18/09/2011 7:53 pm
Cap Charlie, as we on the BELLE called Captain Decker back in my day, was one of those rare people who could just by his demeanor, bring a smile over your face. A positive-thinking person who endured lots of the strife of life, yet always saw the silver lining. You couldn't be in a pilothouse with him and not come away with out a smile....for his enjoyment of life and the people he shared it with was infectious. He was a strong family man and a very dedicated riverman. Many times I remember his family riding with us on the boat...and like their family patriarch, all were of the same great bolt of cloth. All good people because of exposure to a great person. His family have my most sincere and heartfelt sympathy.
One long and two shorts for a great riverman who made a difference with the crews who were fortunate to work with him.
Topic starter
18/09/2011 11:06 pm
The Last Landing
I attended the visitation for Capt. Charlie today, in good company with Capt. Mike Fitzgerald, Chuck Parrish, Ellen Beckemeyer (formerly in BELLE office) and many others who came to pay tribute. Floral arrangements in abundance and numerous photos on display of Capt. Charlie in the pilothouse, etc. His daughter, Pat, said that, to the end, one of the things that made him happiest was a ride on the BELLE and that he regarded all of his river friends as "family". He was an exemplary teacher and will long be fondly remembered by many with gratitude.
Herewith is an image I found in my files of Capt. Charlie blowing the whistle of the BELLE on a cool September night in 1990. He's made the last landing and may he rest in eternal peace.
20/09/2011 1:48 am
Capt. Decker was a most interesting person who related a fascinating account of being scheduled to be in the first wave of D-Day. Due to some problem he and those with him did not go in the first wave but did go in, as I recall, D-Day plus 2.
Once in a terrible rain and wind storm he held the Belle stern first into the shut out rain and storm winds for several hair raising minutes.
Every time I pass what appears to be a former Po-Folks Restaurant I think of him as he really enjoyed the their menu.
Many enjoyable hours were spent sitting in the open Pilot House window listing to him and his accounts of the Kentucky River and experiences in the Great War, none committed to tape unfortunately.
I am certainly gratefully for having been in his company.
21/09/2011 12:15 am
My first season on the Belle I remember being in one of the worst storms I can recall while firing the boilers. The storm quickly surrounded us in the middle of the river on our return run and gave us no visibility. While my nerves were near their limit, Charlie just held her stern into the wind until it passed, then we safely slipped back home unharmed.
21/09/2011 3:14 pm
I was lucky enough to work with Charlie, albeit for one year only, my first year decking back in 2006. It didn't matter if it was a full force gale or the water was smooth as glass the boat always came in the same way with Charlie as Pilot. You would be hard pressed to find a more experienced, skilled person in the pilothouse anywhere on the rivers. Whenever he offered a tip on how to steer her I was sure to listen as advice worth its eeight in gold is hard to come by. I was always glad to see him when he came down on race day after he retired but no more. God speed.
27/09/2011 8:40 pm
Captain Decker was a fine gentleman and steamboatman that seem to be the norm for those retiring from the Army Corp. My visits with him aboard the BELLE are remembered fondly, as he always insisted that I steer the boat. My best recollection is of the time I hand-steered the Bol during one of the last races with the DELTA QUEEN, and on the down-bound leg the wind was hard onto the Indiana shore at Jeffboat. It took quite a bit of "point" to keep the steamboat off the barges at the shipyard... but what a thrill.