Dr. Charles Crawford Poindexter Jr. age 81, of Beaufort, NC, died on January 1, 2015, at Carteret General Hospital.

He was born on April 26, 1933, in Cullowhee to Sophia Ray Poindexter and Charles Crawford Poindexter. He grew up in Canton, where he was an outstanding student and athlete, playing high school football, basketball and baseball. He also began playing fast-pitch softball during the summers, first for Champion Paper Co. of Canton and then with Clearwater Construction in Florida. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with honors from Western Carolina University, where he played football, with a degree in education. He served in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany where he also played service football and baseball. Upon discharge, he was employed by Champion Paper where he was a member of their championship softball team. He later played for Clearwater and Sanders Ford of Raleigh. In 1961, he was selected as a member of the All-World Fast Pitch Softball Team and received the Leading Hitter award in the World Tournament.  He is a member of the N.C. Softball Hall of Fame.

Charles began his education profession as a high school teacher and coach in Clinton and Raleigh Enloe. During those years, he also began graduate study, receiving a master’s degree in physical education, and a Ph.D degree in higher education and political science from UNC-CH.  While obtaining his doctorate, he was employed full-time as the assistant director of records and registration at UNC.  In 1969, he began his tenure with the N.C. Community Colleges at Wayne Community College in Goldsboro where he served as dean of instruction.  In 1974, he was named president of Mitchell Community College in Statesville.  At that time, at age 40, he was the youngest president in the North Carolina Community College system.

During those years as a college administrator, Charles served as chairman of the NCCC Dean’s Association and as chairman of the NCCC President’s Association. During his years at Mitchell, the college experienced exceptional changes as it transitioned to a comprehensive community college, growing in enrollment, campus size and facilities, and in program offerings.  He was selected to attend the Harvard University School of Business and Education Summer Institute, the UNC-CH School of Business Administration Government Executives Institute and the National Community College Presidents Institute. He has been honored by the UNC-CH School of Physical Education as a Distinguished Alumnus.

After retirement, Charles and his wife returned to Chapel Hill for the fourth time where he did consulting and pursued his passion for golf and UNC athletics. In 1997, they moved to Beaufort where he was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, serving on the Vestry and was a member of the Men’s Sunday School Class. He was Seniors Golf Champion for several years at the Morehead City Country Club, supported several local charities, as well as the UNC Hospitals Family House Charter Giving Campaign. He was active in Rotary in Goldsboro, Statesville and Beaufort.

Charles is survived by his wife of 55 years, Virginia Hassell Poindexter; his daughter, Margaret Hassell Poindexter of Emerald Isle; brothers-in-law, Charles R. Hassell Jr., Kent W. Hassell and wife Elizabeth; grandson, Dylan Fondry and his wife, Amy; and great-grandaughter, Jillian; nieces and nephews, Eric Lyons, Laura L. Blomquist, Rob Hassell, Kate Hassell, Charles C. Hassell, Litzie Hassell and Brad Hassell; and many cherished cousins and extended family.  

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Martha P. Lyons and brother-in-law, William R. Lyons. Charles was especially blessed during his entire life with many loyal and close friends, associates and students across the state. A lifelong, avid UNC Tar Heel, he attended all games possible and watched others on TV, with Woody on the radio, when he was no longer able to travel.  Dr. Poindexter, or Charlie, Chuck or “Prez,” will hopefully be remembered as a strong but kind son of North Carolina, who moved from the mountains to the sea with stops in between, quietly leaving a legacy of dedication and leadership to education in the emerging community college system from 1969-1990.