Charles Roque Proctor (1889-1978)

Tucson HS Basketball. Seated lower right

1910 Tucson HS Basketball, Charles seated lower right

Charles Roque Proctor was born in 1889 in Tucson, AZ. CRP rode horseback from the Tesota Ranch to Sahuarita school for 1st and 2nd grade. He and his brothers went to school in Yuma briefly while their father was a prison guard. When they moved to Box canyon ranch he went to school in Helvetia, AZ for (3rd), 4th & 5th grade. He was a member of the first Tucson High School graduating class in 1905 [1910?] and attended the University of Arizona. CRP and his brother, Henry P ran cattle on the Box canyon ranch as their father worked the Sopori ranch.  Henry P continued to help Charles with the ranch duties after their father died. Charles was given the Box canyon ranch by his mother, Jesus.

He married Ynes M Redondo June 1914 at St. Ann’s church in Tubac, Arizona. They lived at the Box canyon ranch and then at the Madera canyon ranch after 1916. CRP and Ynes had eight children; Charles R in 1915, William R in 1916, George R in 1918, Margaret R in 1920, Melanie Eladia in 1922, Navor R in 1924, Robert L in 1926 and Mary Ynes in 1928. Ynes M Redondo Proctor passed away in 1960. CRP married again July 1963 in Nogales, AZ and had one more daughter.

On December 5th, 1978, The Arizona Daily Star, writes:

“Last living Tucsonian of the first graduating class of Tucson High School. He drove a school bus for the Continental School District for 18 years while a rancher in the Santa Rita Mountains. In 1960 he was given a 50 year diploma from Tucson High during graduation ceremonies of his grandson, Lewis Adams.”

Extracts from his obituary in the Tucson Daily Citizen December 6th, 1978:

“Born on Convent Street in 1889. He was one of ten students in the first class at Tucson High School in 1905 [?]. After managing his fathers ranch at Box Canyon he homesteaded his own ranch in Madera Canyon where he lived for 48 years. He sold it in 1968; moved into Tucson. He died, age 89, at St. Mary’s Hospital.”

Side note: Charles Roque Proctor’s godfather was Manuel Sanchez. In the late 1860s, Manuel Sanchez escaped potential Apache attack at former Camp Cameron to notify locals of situation.

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