Charles William Narburgh

Colonel Charles W. Narburgh

Colonel Charles W. Narburgh, Ret. (Charlie), 81, of Sierra Vista, Arizona, passed away at home on October 7, 2025. He was born in Albion, New York, on May 31, 1944, the second of four boys.

Charlie is survived by his daughter Kate (Rich) of Maryland; son Chuck (Paula) of North Bay, Ontario; younger brother Gary of Albion, New York; and several loving grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jo Anna (née Roberts), in 2004.

Charlie dedicated over 25 years to serving his country in the United States Army. Commissioned as a military intelligence officer in 1967, he served two tours in Vietnam with the 199th Infantry Brigade and as a Special Intelligence Liaison Officer. His distinguished career included posts as an intelligence advisor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York City, Commander of the 524th Military Intelligence Battalion in Seoul, Professor of Military Science at the University of Michigan, faculty at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, and Senior Intelligence Officer with the Central Army Group/NATO in Heidelberg, Germany. He retired in 1992 with numerous honors, including the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal. During his military career, he earned degrees from Northern Arizona University and an MBA from the University of Utah. He also proudly swore his son Chuck into the Army in 1985.

It was in New York City, after returning from Vietnam, that Charlie met the love of his life, Jo Anna.  Their first assignment together brought them to Fort Huachuca, where they fell head over heels in love with Arizona—a place they would eventually call home for good when they returned to Sierra Vista in 1999.  

Never one to sit idle, Charlie pursued varied passions in retirement. He worked as a real estate agent and trained as an Arizona Master Gardener.  After Jo Anna’s passing, he missed her gourmet cooking so much he completed a program in Culinary Arts at Cochise College. He was legendary for his hospitality and love of entertaining, frequently cooking for friends and competing in the Men Who Cook fundraiser for the Sierra Vista Symphony. He loved sharing recipes and his own home-made sausage, which he perfected as a young meat cutter before joining the Army.  Charlie also had a life-long passion for music and rhythm. He played drums in his high school marching band and local rock bands, and was a devoted fan of jazz percussionists like Buddy Rich and Lionel Hampton. Most of all, Charlie cherished time with family and friends, especially any occasion to enjoy live music, dancing, or a game of pool. He took every opportunity he could to share with his grandkids his love of all things Arizona, trains, baking, and military history. 

Charlie and Jo Anna shared a deep love of travel and adventure that shaped their lives and their family. Together, they embraced every posting around the world as an opportunity to explore, learn, and immerse themselves in new cultures. They were committed to raising their children with an international perspective, ensuring they experienced the richness of foreign cultures and developed a genuine appreciation for the wider world. Whether exploring markets in Korea and the Philippines, sampling regional cuisine throughout Europe, or crossing the U.S., Charlie and Jo Anna instilled in their family a spirit of openness and adventure. 

A beloved father and grandfather, and great friend to many, Charlie will be deeply missed for his fun-loving and generous spirit, his love of learning, his sense of humor, and his determination to live life to the fullest, right up to the very end. 
 

In lieu of flowers donations in Charles honor are suggested to be made to the Friends of the San Pedro River or the Conservation Lands Foundation.

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