From: David Locklear, 10 Dec 2003
About 1990, the Greater Houston Grotto received a new member with no caving experience. His name was Charles Haskett. He was a little out of shape and in his 40's. He had a pleasant personality and everybody immediately liked him. After just a few meetings, he became president and began ram-rodding the club with a burst of enthusiasm that the club needed.
He wanted to get into making cave videos. He made a living at the time doing legal video depositions and was self-employed. He was also very much into computer-generated music which was sort of new back in the early 90's. He planned to use it in his cave videos. I believe he had a law degree, but never used it, or decided being a lawyer wasn't his thing.
I do not remember going caving with Charles, but we were the best of friends. I believe he made several trips to he Guads.
In 1994, Charles attended the NSS Convention in Texas. He made several wooden plaques of the NSS Convention Artwork on his scroll saw and sold them at the convention.
He also was the major contributor to a map display that I attempted to set up at the convention. Charles took his pet iguana to the convention, and it disappeared from its cage. This caused him to miss our histo caving trip to Emerald Sink, as he spent 2 days walking around trying to find the green critter in a field of green grass.
A few months later, I was helping a caver friend build a treehouse in their backyard for their son. Charles eventually took over the project, and apparently suffered a stroke and fell out of it. He was in a coma for 3 weeks. He had a large bump on his head from the fall and doctors were not sure if he got that before the fall or during the fall. Many Houston cavers were at his bedside day after day hoping for a recovery. He had a beautiful funeral with live music performed by nieces and nephews. His eulogy by caver Wayne Bockleman was quite emotional.
I don't believe Charlie ever married or had kids. I don't even think he had a girlfriend. At the time of his death, his passion was for caving.
His elderly parents soon left Houston to retire on their orchard near Tyler, Texas. They sold me Charlies old van, which I gave to my grandfather. He in turn totaled it on a deer hunting trip. It rusted away in my parents pasture for years, before they sold it for scrap metal.
All I have left of Charlie is a small photo of him rappelling into Hidden Cave in the Guads, and a few friends that remember him the way I do.
David Locklear
Bob Booth photos of Charles Haskett.