Charles “Charlie” Aycock

Charles F. “Charlie” Aycock was born in Tulia, Texas on May 28, 1941 to Homer Rex and Luella Woodward Aycock.  He passed peacefully on November 9, 2021 following a lengthy illness.  Despite working hard at a young age hoeing and picking cotton, sacking groceries, and flagging for spray planes, he nevertheless enjoyed a happy childhood with his older brother, Robert Rex Aycock.  Charles graduated from Tulia High School in 1959 where he played cornet in the band and was active in student government and Future Farmers of America.

After high school, he attended Texas Tech University where he graduated in 1963.  While at Texas Tech, Charles remained active in student government and was elected President of the Student Body and Mr. Texas Tech his Senior year.  He also was a member of the Saddle Tramps, serving multiple terms as President, a member of Kappa Sigma, and elected to the Inter-fraternity Council.  Charles remained an active alumnus and served as an Ex-Students’ Association Loyalty Fund Trustee and as President of the Parmer County Texas Tech Ex-Students Association.

Following graduation from Texas Tech, Charles moved to Washington D.C. His natural leadership abilities and gift of gab caught the eye of Congressman George Mahon, who at that time was the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee.  Mr. Mahon hired Charles to serve on his staff.  Charles had many wonderful experiences during his time in Washington D.C. but his highlights included attending meetings with Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and watching President Kennedy’s funeral procession from the window of the Capitol Building.  Charles and Mr. Mahon remained close friends until Mr. Mahon’s death in 1985.

While in Washington D.C., Charles was working on a Master’s Degree at George Washington University when both Mr. Mahon and Charles’ older brother encouraged him to return to Texas and to attend law school.  Following their advice, Charles enrolled at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin in 1964.

When Charles was only 15 years old, he began working as a Disc Jockey for the local Tulia radio station, KTUE.  He found he had a talent for avoiding “dead air” with commentary and developed a distinct clarity of enunciation that allowed him to continue working in radio throughout his entire time at Texas Tech and UT.  While in Austin, he worked at KVET, riding his motorcycle between the law school and the radio station.  He had a life-long broadcaster’s obsession with being able to tell time to the second without a watch, a talent his family did not always appreciate.  At KVET, he reported on-scene in a live, nationwide radio broadcast from the UT campus immediately after the 1966 UT Tower Shooting.

Charles graduated from law school in 1967 and, on January 28th of that same year, married the love of his life, Margaret Lois Moss of Floydada.  After graduation, he accepted an appointment as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas where he served until 1969.  Feeling the call to return home to the Panhandle and raise a family, he and Margaret moved from Austin to Farwell, Texas where Charles entered private practice at the Aldridge & Harding law firm.  Charles soon made partner and the firm name was changed to Aldridge, Harding & Aycock.  While in Farwell, Charlie and Margaret welcomed the births of their son, Chris, and daughter, Karen.

Charles loved serving Farwell as a “country lawyer.”  He tried cases, handled land sales, practiced family law, prosecuted criminals, and wrote wills.  If a client walked in the door and needed help, Charles would take the case.  A time or two, he even accepted a sack of vegetables grown by a farmer-client as payment.  He was a wise lawyer and served as Parmer County Attorney for more than 23 years.  An eternally busy man, Charles also farmed and fed cattle.  A true servant leader, he served on the Farwell ISD School Board and the Parmer County Hospital District. He was President of the Texico/Farwell Rotary Club, active at Hamlin Memorial United Methodist Church, and Scoutmaster of Troop 200.  His many awards included Farwell Man of the Year, Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow, and Scouting’s Wood Badge and Council Scoutmaster of the Year.

However, sharing of his leadership talents was not limited to this small Panhandle town.  He was appointed to the State Bar of Texas District 13 Grievance Committee and served as a Director of the State Bar of Texas from 1990 to 1993.  In 1998, being elected from the smallest town in the history of the Texas Bar, Charles won a state-wide election to be the President of the State Bar.  He also was a past Board Member and Chairman of the Board of the Texas Bar Foundation, where he was a Life Fellow.  In 2004, Charles retired from private law practice and Governor Rick Perry appointed him to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, where he served until 2011.   When making decisions to recommend whether a prisoner should face execution or receive parole, Charles believed it was more important to determine what was right rather than what was politically expedient.  The Houston Chronicle said of him, “One of the more independent minds in Texas these days belongs to Charles Aycock, a lawyer from the tiny Panhandle town of Farwell.”

In 2005, Charlie and Margaret moved to Lake Tanglewood near Amarillo and then to Midland in 2018.  Charlie was a loving and caring husband, a wonderful dad, a fun grandad, a kind-hearted and wise servant leader, and a man that loved dogs, smoking his pipe, and eating pecan pie.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Robert Rex Aycock, and his nephew, Russell Alan Aycock.  He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Margaret, of Midland; his son, Chris Aycock, and wife, Sonya, of Midland; his grandson, Matthew Curtis Aycock, member of the United States Navy and student at the University of Colorado; and his daughter Karen Aycock, of Midland.

The family wishes to thank all his many health care providers, in particular Dr. J. Hunter Atkins and Dr. Asif Ansari, along with the wonderful nurses and staff at Midland Memorial Hospital and Hospice of Midland, especially including Melissa Land, and the exceptional caregivers of Home Instead.

A celebration of Charlie’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church of Midland. To attend the service virtually, please follow the link at the St. Luke’s UMC Facebook page.

The family suggests Memorials be made to Texas Boys Ranch in Lubbock, the Texas Bar Foundation, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, or a charity of your choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.