Charles William Doepke

Narrative:

     Charles William Doepke was born on 19 Sep 1911 in Cincinnati, Ohio.^10,11,12
     He appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the household of his parents, William Leo Doepke and Ethel H. Page.⁴
     Charles traveled in Europe, and attended Lycee Jaccard school in Lausanne, Switzerland, before entering Perdue University, where he studied mechanical engineering.²³
     He appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the household of his parents.⁵
     Charles married first Dorothy Alice Frank, daughter of George L. Frank and Fleda Gaines, 1931 in Watseka, Illinois, while both were attending Purdue University. The marriage was kept secret until the end of the spring term, and was announced 12 Jun 1931.^13,14,15
     Charles and Dorothy appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, at 3306 Nash Ave., enumerated 10 Apr 1940, reporting they owned a home valued at $8,500, and that they had lived in the same city in 1935.²⁴
     Charles worked for Alms & Doepke Co., a wholesale and retail dry goods firm co-founded by his grandfather. He was a merchandise manager by 1940, when he reported he had worked 44 hours the last week of March, and 52 weeks the prior year, earning $2,400.^25,26 He registered for the draft for World War II on 16 Oct 1940, while living at 1020 Richwood Ave., Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, reporting he was employed by Alms and Doepke, in Cincinnati.²
     Charles and his brother Frederick formed the Charles William Doepke Manufacturing Co. in 1940, at the B and O Railway in Oakley. It operated as a job shop doing metal work and subcontracting during World War II. After the War they switched to making toys, sturdy scale models of road construction equipment. The business was successful, and the company expanded to a location in Rossmoyne. Newsweek wrote in Dec 1950 "Doepke's product are expensive (they start at $11.95) but the people who buy them -- and the children who play with them -- receive rugged, exact miniatures of big-time constracting equipment."^27,28
     Charles and Dorothy appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Indian Hill, Hamilton Co., Ohio, at 56787 Hill Top Lane, enumerated 4 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm. Their children Charles were listed as living with them.²⁹
     They closed the company in 1959 because of competition from cheaper plactic toys. Charles joined G. A. Gray Co., dealing in machine tools, as vice president of sales. He retired about 1973. He also served on the boards of the Bethesda Hospital and the Southern Ohio Bank.²⁷
     Charles and Dorothy were apparently divorced between 1951 and 1962.^16,17
     Charles married second Mildred Louise Fenker, daughter of Alfred William Fenker and Jessie Blanch Billiter, on 1 Aug 1962 in Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church, Pleasant Ridge, Hamilton Co., Ohio. She had previously been married to William Raymond Black.^18,19,9
     Charles was living in 4625 Burley Hills, Cincinnati, Ohio, at the time of his death.⁹
     Charles died on 21 May 1987 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, at age 75.^20,21,22 He was buried on 26 May 1987 in Cemetery of Spring Grove, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the lot owned by his grandmother.⁹