Charles Edward Bethel

Charles Edward Bethel, a loving husband, father, and grandfather passed away peacefully at the age of 85 at his home in Smyrna, GA on Thursday, July 24, 2025, to be with his Lord and savior Jesus Christ. He was born on November 1, 1939, to Raymond Leon and Mildred Louise Bethel in Greenfield, TN. He was the eldest of four siblings that all grew up and worked hard on the farm in Northwest Tennessee. One day during his High School years, he skipped school with one of his best friends to take their first airplane ride for one dollar. Charles discovered his passion for flying while his friend said he would never do that again.

Charles graduated from Greenfield High School and then attended the University of Tennessee at Martin for a time, but then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps to become a pilot. He initially was a helicopter pilot and then transitioned to flying planes. During one of his Military leaves he returned home to Greenfield, TN where he met his future wife of 59 years, Dottie Rue Medling, at a local basketball game. Charles served five years in the Marine Corps including serving time in the Vietnam War where he was attached to the HMM-162 squadron and flew the single engine O-1 Bird Dog plane on 68 missions and received two air metals. He also flew helicopter search and rescue missions. After being honorably discharged at the rank of Captain, Charles started a new career as a commercial pilot with Delta Air Lines in Atlanta in 1966. Charles and Dottie were married on July 10, 1966, and initially lived in an apartment in College Park. Charles and Dottie were then blessed with the birth of two sons that stayed close by and still live in the metro Atlanta area today. Charles resumed working on his college degree while working at Delta and graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation, Magna Cum Laude, in 1974. The family moved to Smyrna, GA in 1976, which has been Charles and Dottie's home since that time.

Charles worked at Delta Airlines for 33 years as a domestic and international pilot, and as a flight instructor that trained and air-checked other Delta pilots. He was in the first class of pilots to fly the new Boeing 767 airplane, and he flew one of the first 767s delivered to Delta from Seattle to Atlanta. In addition, noteworthy during his career, he was selected to escort Air Force One with President Jimmy Carter by flying the White House Press Corps. His favorite plane to fly at Delta was the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. Charles was very close with his fellow pilots that were in the B-66 training class when he started at Delta.

Charles was not only a great aviator and military soldier, he was a consummate husband, father, brother, and friend to many. Charles was always caring and looked after many in his family, including his loving wife, and two very energetic sons. Charles was a member of Burnt Hickory Church of Christ (originally Smyrna) since 1976 with a servant's heart. Charles and his family cherished many life-long friends from Church, many of whom were able to surround him with love and shared memories the day before his peaceful passing at home.

Charles is survived by his wife of 59 years, Dottie Medling Bethel; two sons, Jeffrey William (Jennifer) Bethel, Marietta, GA, and Christopher Michael Bethel, Kennesaw, GA; two brothers, Billy Jo (Sandra) Bethel, Greenfield, TN, and Johnny Mack (Dawn) Bethel, Greenfield, TN; three grandchildren, Emma Louise Bethel (Chris), Caroline Bethel and Luke Bethel (Jeff), and many cherished nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Doris Ann Bufford, his parents, and his stepmother, Mrs. Ruth.

Funeral Services will be at 3:30pm on Sunday, August 3, 2025, in the chapel of West Cobb Funeral Home in Marietta, Georgia, and the Family will receive friends and family starting at 2pm. Charles will be laid to rest with military honors on Monday, August 4, 2025, promptly at 11am at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations may be made to Georgia Agape at www.georgiaagape.org, St. Jude Children's Hospital at www.stjude.org, or Parkinson's Foundation https://www.parkinson.org/.