Charles Redondo Proctor (1915-2000)

Charles (center facing away) at Continental School

Charles Redondo Proctor was born May 1915 to Charles Roque Proctor and Ynes M Redondo. He attended Continental school, Tucson High school (’34) and the University of Arizona.

Charles went to Air Corps Technical School at Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado and became a U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. He served in the European theater in WWII.

He married Thelma Hembry in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1941 and had three children. While in the Air Force the family lived all over the country and the Panama Control Zone. After his Air Force service he attended a school of divinity and became a Religious Science Minister; building his own church in Orlando, Florida. Charles was an eloquent speaker and the membership grew from of 30 to 300. Charles and Thelma divorced after 21 years of marriage.

In time Charles came back to Arizona and had remarried Marian Clarke. They bought the Cobra Ranch near the current Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness. He was active in community organizations and ran the ranch until heart issues slowed him down.

Son, Thelma and Charles

Son, Thelma and Charles

The Cobra ranch property had an old adobe house that was used as the stagecoach stop for the area. The original p    art of the house dates prior to 1900. It had electricity and water but used a wood stove and fireplace for heat. His daughter’s family lived there while helping with the ranch.

He ended up selling a piece of the ranch to the Bureau of Land Management, it was across the creek with very rich soil and a big Hickory nut tree. The money from the BLM sale helped to keep the ranch afloat but he could never profit from the ranch. He and Marian eventually sold the rest of the land to a private party.

There is some interesting background on the brand Charles Redondo Proctor used for Cobra ranch. As the story goes, the two circles and U were thought up by Ynes M Redondo Proctor years prior to her son owning the Cobra ranch. She drew two circles saying, to her husband, “this is you and this is me.” Then she drew the U saying, “and we are united in marriage.” So it was a love story. She did not know it at the time, but it is the symbol that is on the back of the cobra’s head. – RPC

Charles Redondo Proctor died in March 2000. A memorial service was held near Madera Canyon where he grew up.

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