Memorial

Charles Millard Gore

Charles Millard Gore, 89 years, passed away peacefully at home on December,15, 2015  in Stockton California, surrounded by family who love him.  He lived at home the last years of his life under the care of his loving daughter Julie and granddaughter Samantha.

 

Charley, or Millard to many of his family, was born September 7th, 1926 in Ketchikan Alaska.  He was the first child of Judge Lester Gore and Irene Duhamel Gore.  He grew up in Ketchikan and always felt at home in Alaska.  In the Gore household, he and his brother and sisters were always encouraged to tell the family about their day, and to sing along with old family favorites.  Public speaking and the love of his family, of singing and of music remained with Charley throughout his life.

Charley graduated from Ketchikan High School in 1943, and then joined the US Navy in 1944 and trained as an electrician’s mate.  After leaving the Navy he graduated from Stanford and then earned his law degree at the University of Washington in Seattle in 1951.  He began practicing law in Stockton, first as a partner in Parkinson, Nichols and Gore, working out of the Bank of Stockton building, and later in his own law office in Stockton, for almost 40 years. 

While working as a lawyer, he often made summer trips to work on the fish traps in Southeastern Alaska, and was an avid fisherman later in California.  Also during this time he became active in the Elks Club (BPOE), and eventually became the Exalted Ruler of the Stockton chapter in 1975-76.  He was often involved in Elks functions with his devoted and loving wife Janet Raffetto Gore. They traveled the world together, when they could, through Europe and Asia and the Middle East, and on cruises to Mexico and of course, to Alaska. 

Charley was well known in Stockton as a community leader, and also as a friendly and caring family man with a big heart and a thousand stories and jokes to make people smile.  People around him loved his calm and his ability to take problems in stride.  He’d always say “It could be worse: It’s not the end of the world” and move on.  Charley was also a skilled bridge player, and an avid reader and back-yard gardener.

Charley is survived by his sister, Nancy (Frank) Murkowski of Wrangell, Alaska, and Palm Desert.. He is also survived by three children: David Gore of Goleta California, Richard Gore of London England, and Julie Ray of Stockton California. And he leaves behind his many nieces (aka The Gore Girls) and nephews: Mary Gore Schroder and Anne Gore Hart of Anchorage; Jenny Gore Dwyer of Kenmore, Wash.; as well as Carol Sturgulewski of Anchorage; Lisa Murkowski of Anchorage and Washington, D.C.; Mike Murkowski of Sao Paolo, Brazil; Eileen Van Wyhe of Fairbanks, Alaska; Mary Judson of Fairbanks and Manzanillo, Mexico; and Brian Murkowski of Anchorage.  He is also survived by their spouses, children and grandchildren, and by many loving friends. He was preceded in death by his beloved parents, his dear little sister Diane Duhamel (DD) Gore, and by his son John Couch.​  His beloved younger brother Robert Gore passed away recently in Ketchikan on November 7, 2018.