Dr. Charles Albert Dafoe

dr. charles dafoe

Dr. Charles Albert Dafoe passed on the evening of November 23rd, 2020 at Brookdale Pinehurst Park in Denver, CO.

 

Dr. Dafoe, known to many as Chuck, and to others as Doc, was born October 22, 1930 in Owensboro, Kentucky to Worth Dafoe and Virginia (Cook) Dafoe, of whom he was the only child. The family of three moved frequently eventually settling in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. 

 

He attended the University of Michigan undergraduate school and graduated from the University of Michigan School of Medicine in 1956, where he also was a member of the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club and the Galen’s Society allowing him ample opportunity to participate in music and travel.

 

He served as a Captain (OB/GYN) in the U.S. Air Force from July of 1957 until receiving an honorable discharge in July of 1959. He took advantage of his time at air force bases to overcome his fear of heights by pursuing and receiving his private pilot’s license. 

 

He moved to Denver for his internship and residency, returning to Ann Arbor briefly to practice obstetrics/gynecology, but soon returning to Colorado, where he started in private practice, first with Dr. Waddell and later with Dr. Jack Thorne.  He practiced obstetrics/gynecology for 40 years, delivering countless babies and helping care for hundreds of women.  In addition to his medical practice, he was a member of many professional organizations including the American College of Surgeons, served as president of the Colorado Board of OB/GYN, and a longtime member of an international group of skiing gynecologists, to name a few. 

 

His gregarious spirit and unbeatable charm led him to be loved by family, friends, colleagues, and patients alike, and really anyone who crossed his path.  His care for others and earnest pursuit of goals was apparent early on. He was a proud Eagle Scout and considered himself lucky for having always known he wanted to be a doctor.  An avid traveler, he visited more than 15 countries, and loved scuba diving and skiing, and served as part of the volunteer ski patrol medic team at Winter Park.  His deep bass voice enriched the Colorado Choir for 30 years and the Twelfth Night shows at the University Club.  He had a gift for making everyone he interacted with smile and feel important.  Retirement in 1998 afforded him the luxury of indulging his passion for reading. 

 

His love for life and those living it helped him to power through adversity with a smile and a joke on the ready as evidenced by his cheerful fight through Alzheimer’s, COPD, and even COVID-19 to arrive at his 90th birthday where he confidently proclaimed, "Another 90 would be great."

 

He will be missed by so many but most notably by his wife, Delores “Dee”, his children Ann Clark (Dennis), Charles (Sue),  Amy (Burke), Kate (John), and Andrew (Miranda), and his grandchildren Shannon McCarthy, Allison Welsh, Elizabeth Clark, Nicholas Clark, Thomas Welsh, Claudia Krampien, Charlotte Krampien, and Aila Atkinson his great-grandchildren Kristina McCarthy and Jadyn McCarthy. His brother-in-law and sister-in-law, David and Bianca Vander Wal, and his former spouse and mother of his first three children, Lou Dafoe, also survive him.

 

Like so many who have passed during this time, services are postponed until public health protections allow for the celebration of life merited by his beautiful soul. 

Viewing and Visitation will be held on June 04, 2021 at Hope Fellowship Reformed Church from 10:30am-11:30am.

A Memorial Service will start at 11:30am.

Inurnment will follow at Fort Logan Nation Cemetery at 2:00pm.

 

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his honor to one of the following organizations:

 

Physicians for Reproductive Health

https://secure.everyaction.com/Aa6xWmo0bUG_D-3wHE2HRA2 

 

The Colorado Choir

https://thecoloradochoir.org/support/

 

 

View current weather.

Memories Timeline

Guestbook

  1. I stood next to Chuck for years in the Colorado Choir and always enjoyed a good joke with him at break time.  Here's to a great life lived!  Goodbye, Doc.

  2. My condolences to Dr. Dafoe's wife and family.
    I was only 25 when Dr. Dafoe delivered the first of my 3 children who are all now in their 40's.  I have often told the story of the birth of our 2nd child and Dr. Dafoe.  Our daughter was breech and the labor of course was no fun.  But, he and my husband had the best time laughing and telling stories.  I remember telling them (while joking) to stop because I can't laugh…….it hurts!      As a patient, I could always tell that he cared!  He was not only a great doctor buy a great guy!    (His picture looks just like I remember him so many years ago).   Sincerely, Mary Rome

  3. So very sorry for your loss. My dad, Dr. Herbert Kennison and Chuck were friends back in the day. Thinking of you all.
    Wendy Kennison Watson

  4. Dr. Dafoe delivered 2 of my 3 children.  My first was in 1976 and I went into labor a month early.  Arriving at the hospital, I was scared but had done lamaza and was working with the pain.  This was good because Dr. Dafoe was chasing a burglar in Cherry Hills and was a little late.  When he arrived, apologizing profusely, he discovered the baby was a double breech.  He said, "Well, we only have a short time so I'll have to help you" which he did, and my son, Craig, was born.  (Turned out we hadn't counted very well).  He was healthy but for the first six months, his legs were up around his ears.
    Dr. Dafoe was also very kind after my cancer diagnosis in 1995.
    He was a very nice man and a wonderful doctor.   
    Dr. Dafoe was also very kind after my breast cancer diagnosis

  5. My condolences to your family. Dr. Dafoe was my ob/gyn when my daughter was born on July 4, 1980, when was 17. He was kind, knowledgeable and made me laugh due to his wonderful sense of humor. Rest in Peace kind Dr.


Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle