During the last 24 years of retirement Charles became acquainted with the American culture and his American family that he had spent so little time with in past years. At this time daughter Faith had earned a masters degree in public health and was a school nurse with two sons and six grandchildren. Daughter Miriam. the wife of a Presbyterian minister. taught science at Van Nuys Junior High School in the San Fernando Valley and had four children. Shortly after Charles' retirement. he had the privilege of conducting the marriage ceremony of his oldest granddaughter. Linda. Dede and family were living in Long Beach where he was a professor of physics at the State University of California in Long Beach. He and his wife had three children and had adopted a lovely little baby boy of 2 years, born in Hong Kong. Daughter Jean was living in Providence, Rhode Island with husband Don who was a professor at Brown University, having completed his Ph.D. in geology, and they raised two children. Daughter Joyce continued to teach nursing in North India after completing a masters degree in midwifery at Columbia University. Daughter Janet had received her masters degree at Brown University and would soon become an assistant principal at Le Conte Junior High School in Hollywood. During the first few years of retirement. Charles lived in a lovely cottage in San Clemente with a glorious rose garden.. He enjoyed driving many miles up and down the highways of California with Grace visiting their many friends. He enjoyed spending time in the malls window shopping and looking at the beautiful art work and consumer goods. For a period of months he served as an interim preacher at the Ventura Missionary Church, driving 200 miles round trip with Grace each Sunday at the age of 72. He dearly loved preaching and was called upon numerous times to supply for Church of the Open Door in L.A. for Dr. Vernon McGee. He was thrilled. again, with the birth of his last grandson. Brian Roberts. The small seaside village of San Clemente. where they were active in the Presbyterian Church, became the center of their lives. In 1971 the local newspaper interviewed Charles seeking his opinion of the new U.S. policy with China. He expressed his delight at the prospect of the U.S. establishing a more normal relationship with China again, given the long years he spent in China. He had hoped to return there one day.
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