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Information for Charles William Astleford
22 September, 1922 – 24 May, 1994
From the Idaho Press-Tribune
May, 1994
Contributed by Dennis McIndoo


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Charles Astleford
     Charles William Astleford, 71, a retired Chief of Police of Caldwell, died Tuesday, May 24, 1994, at his home of natural causes.  Masonic funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 27, 1994, at Dakan Funeral Chapel, Caldwell, by Mr. Moriah Lodge #39 A.F. & A.M., Caldwell.  Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Caldwell.
     Chuck was born September, 22, 1922, at Scranton, Iowa, to George and Mary Astleford.  In his autobiography, Mrs. Astleford wrote that "after graduation, I went to Senica, Missouri, to live with my sister and her husband and to work in the lead mines.  I was drafted into the Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, I had myh basic training, at Camp Beale, California, with the 13th Armored Division.  I was assigned to the  498th Armored Field Artillery Battalion Battery "C", went to Camp Bowie, Texas, in November 1943 for further training, and was transferred to Division Artillery in Operations Division.  I headed for Germany in December of 1944; arrived in France, January 1945.  I came back to the United States in August of 1945 and redeployed to go to Japan after thirty days of recuperation leave.  When the war with Japan was over, the Division broke up and I spent six months at Angel Island, California, one year at the Oakland Army Base and then went to Camp Stoneman, California, where I was assigned to the Replacement Center Special Orders Section.  In 1948, I went to Greece and was attached to the Tenth Mountain Division of the Greek National Army as an advisor, I was traveling on a Diplomatic Passport, I got sick and was flown back to Letterman General Hospital at San Francisco, California.  I was reassigned to Camp Stoneman.  While at Camp Stoneman, I met my wife, Iona Beck, October 31, 1949, and we were married May 6, 1950.  We lived at Antioch, California, until November of 1951 when I brought her back to Caldwell, Idaho, as I was assigned to Rycom Depot in Okinawa.  I did not have to go to Okinawa until after my son was born December 28, 1951.  We named him Rodney Charles Astleford (Rod). I arrived in Okinawa in January of 1952.  We came back to the United States in November of 1954 and I was assigned to White Sands Proving Grounds; I did not like it there and they would not transfer me, so I got out of the Army in July of 1954 after eleven years, nine months and ten days I was ready for Civilian Life.
     "I told Iona that we would come to Idaho to live if we could find gainful employment.  I tried common labor, carpentry and worked as a hod carrier for a brick mason.  I joined the Caldwell Police Department July 1, 1955, and went through the ranks and was appointed Chief of Police on November 1, 1961.  I went to the F.B.I. National Police Academy at Washington, D.C. in May of 1963 for three months.  I retired as Chief of Police on January 31, 1981. I was the Senior Chief in the state of Idaho having nineteen and a half years as Chief.
     "Since retiring we have traveled some, fished a lot and spent a lot of time with memorable friends.  I am a Mason, Scottish Rite Mason, Shriner and an Elk.  I am a life member of Idaho Chiefs of Police of America."
     Chuck is survived by his wife of 44 years, Iona of Caldwell; his son, Rodney of Caldwell; one granddaughter and her husband, Jennifer and Allan Ward; one grandson, Nicholas; four brothers and their wives, Dale and Miriam of Daly City, CA, Paul and Norma of Lytton, IA, Harold and Doris of Lake City, IA, and Gary and Jeanne of Osakis, MN, three sisters and their husbands, Joyce and Paul Hiler of Rockwell City, IA, Anna Marie and Don Allen of Belle Plaine, IA, and Mary and Loyd Ellis of Lake City, IA; and two aunts, Ethel Beall and Minnie Draft of Rockwell City, IA.
     He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and a sister.