Re: In Memory of a Ford Friend

 > Bigearl wrote:
 > The collector car hobby loses a valued member.
 > By L. Christian Mixon
 > 
 > Today I learned, that after a long fight with diabetes and cancer, 
 > Charles Pehl, died at the age of 68.  Charles was a good friend of
mine, 
 > and a great member of the vintage car community.1
 > 
 > I met Charles about 3 years ago, and from our first conversation I
knew 
 > I had found a kindred spirit.  At the time, Charles was the owner
of 
 > Action Auto Recyclers, a vintage car salvage yard in Temple, TX.
That 
 > also sold project level vehicles.  Charles’ passion was the Ford
Motor 
 > Company.  He told me several times of the time he traded one
Mustang for 
 > two Chevrolet Corvettes.   "So I guess one Mustang is worth
Two 
 > Corvettes" he chided me ( a lifelong Chevy fan).
 > 
 > When I was in charge of West Coast Vintage, I was able to give
Charles a 
 > T-shirt featuring a 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible.  While sitting
in 
 > his office at the yard on Hwy 36 in Temple, he related to me the
chase 
 > he went on for a ‘57 Fairlane convertible.    Over 13 years, he
pursued 
 > this car.  Each time he would approach the owner of the car only to
be 
 > told "It ain’t for sale".  He would later see it missing
from the 
 > location and ask what had happened.  "I needed ……." the
former owner 
 > would say, and then tell Charles the car had been sold.   When he
was 
 > finally able to purchase the car, he said it was one he might never

 > sell!  It was sitting just outside his office window for the first
2 
 > years I knew him.
 > 
 > Shortly after I opened Collector Car Central LLC, Charles, along
with 
 > his son Darryl, opened Autotrends, about Ÿ of a mile down I-35 from
CCC.  
 > I gladly made the banners for their new lot, and over the past 2
years I 
 > have never hesitated to recommend customers to Autotrends, when I
didn’t 
 > have the car they were looking for.  I always advised the
customers, 
 > Charles is a straight shooter, don’t get offended.  If you are
doing or 
 > asking something dumb, he is VERY likely to tell you directly.  But

 > above all, he is honest.  He will tell you exactly what is involved
with 
 > every car he has.
 > 
 > My wife, Linda, always enjoyed Charles’ calls and visits.  She
thought 
 > of him as a warrior, who had survived so much, and still kept doing
what 
 > he loved.  He always had a kind word for her when he called or came
by.  
 > Not the gregarious taunts he saved for his male friends, but rather
a 
 > "Hey Beautiful" or "Hello Sweetie" that always
brought a smile to her 
 > face.   If she ever asked, "How do we………", there was
either an answer, 
 > or someone who could address the issue there in the next day or
two.
 > 
 > A few months ago he told me that his treasured 1957 Thunderbird was
for 
 > sale.  When I talked to him about it, he told me, "I know I
will never 
 > drive it again".  It has since sold, and I hope the new owner
knows what 
 > a piece of Ford history he purchased.
 > 
 > I sat in Charles’ office about 2 weeks ago.  I was there
representing a 
 > client who was interested in a trade, but my conversation with
Charles 
 > was, as it always was, about the business.  Vintage cars.  What we
had 
 > sold.  What we had missed.  What we had seen.  I helped him open
the 
 > small green bag that contained his medication, just as anyone would
help 
 > a friend, never imagining that this would be the last time I would
talk 
 > to him.
 > 
 > With Charles’ passing the hobby has lost a good friend and strong 
 > supporter.  I, for one will miss him greatly.
 > 
 > Services will be held in Belton, TX at the First Baptist Church on 
 > Tuesday March 6th at 11am.  In lieu of flower his wishes were for a

 > donation to the Mary Hardin Baylor Nursing Scholarship
fund.

In Memory of Charles Pehl after nearly 17 years.  RIP
 

This is a response to the post seen at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=9423670#9423670