RIPON, Calif., May 8 — Charles R. (Chuck) Roots joins the Far Western District Board of Directors – effective today – as the Vice President for the Northeast Division, replacing Ron Black who resigned earlier in April in preparation for he and Jo moving to the Fort Collins, Colorado area. Chuck is a 28 year barbershopper, and currently a dual member of the Central California and California Delta chapters.
Biography: CHARLES ROBERT ROOTS
Charles R. Roots is an ordained minister through the Free Methodist Church of North America. He earned his Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) Degree in Pastoral Counseling from the School of Theology at Claremont (STC), Claremont, California, in 1995. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, September 5, 1948, he claims California as his home of record. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Radio and Television Broadcasting from San Jose State University, San Jose, California, in 1976. He graduated from Western Evangelical Seminary, Portland, Oregon, with a Masters in Divinity (M.Div) in Biblical Studies in 1979.
Dr. Roots is a retired pastor of the Free Methodist Church in Ripon, California. As a volunteer, he has served as the chaplain for the Ripon Police Department and is a member of the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC). He is a board member of the Disabled American Veterans of San Joaquin County; the past president of the Ripon Ministerial Association; a board member of the Bio-Ethics Committee for Memorial Medical Center, Modesto; a past member of the Ripon Police Activities League (PAL); a past director of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce, and numerous other community organizations. He belongs to the Military Chaplains Association (MCA); The Naval Reserve Association (NRA); the Reserve Officers Association (ROA); the Marine Corps Association; the Marine Corps Club of Stockton, California; the Joe Rosenthal Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association (MCCCA); vice president of the Ripon Arts League (RAL); and the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) with memberships in the Golden Valley Chorus (Modesto, California), Voices of California (VoCal) (Sacramento) and the Alexandria Harmonizers (Virginia). He is a published author: The Sandwich Generation: Adult Children Caring for Aging Parents. He has written a weekly column since 2002, Roots in Ripon, for the Ripon Record newspaper, and the Manteca Bulletin since 2016. He is currently writing a historical novel about his great grandfather, Rev. Daniel Thatcher Lake, a Civil War veteran and one of the last of the Circuit Riding Preachers in the South. He is also working on a book about military chaplains who first served as U.S. Marines.
Richard Lund & Chuck RootsCaptain Roots began his military career October 27, 1969 as an enlisted Marine, MCRD, San Diego. He served with numerous commands during his nine years in the Marine Corps: AE-A School, NAS Jacksonville, Florida; VMFA 531, MCAS El Toro, California; VMCJ 1, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan; VMCJ 1 det A (Cubi Point, the Philippines and Da Nang, South Vietnam); VMA 133, NAS Alameda, California; and 4th LAAM Battalion, Fresno, California. He was commissioned as a Navy Chaplain December 23, 1983. After attending the Navy Chaplain Corps Basic Course, NS Newport, Rhode Island, he served the following commands: Chaplain, MAG 39, MCB Camp Pendleton, California; Command Chaplain, USS White Plains (AFS4), NS Guam; Base Chaplain, NCS Stockton, California; Post-Graduate School student, School of Theology at Claremont, California; and Chaplain at NS Rota, Spain. Within the active naval reserve, he has served as: Chaplain, 1st MEFREL 220, Treasure Island, San Francisco, California; Battalion Chaplain, 1st Battalion 14th Marines Artillery, Alameda, California; Battalion Chaplain, 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines Infantry, Encino, California; Plans and Policy, Navy Chief of Chaplains Office, Washington DC (The Pentagon); Command Chaplain, NARC, San Jose, California; and Command Chaplain, I MACE, Camp Pendleton, California. In November of 2002 he was called back to active duty for two years in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) I & II. He served as the Commanding Officer of 1st MEFREL 220, NMCRC Alameda, California. He was chosen by the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) as “Chaplain of the Year” for 2004. His last duty assignment was the Wing Chaplain for the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, New Orleans, Louisiana. He retired in September 2008 after 34 years of total service.
Military awards include: Legion of Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal; Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2nd Award); Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Navy Unit Commendation; Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation; Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal; Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon; Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal; National Defense Service Medal with two stars; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Vietnam Campaign Medal with one star; Iraq Campaign Medal with EGA device; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with EGA device; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; Navy/Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment with three stars; Navy/Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hour glass and Mobilization devices; Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with bracket and palm leaf; Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation with bracket and palm leaf; Vietnam Service Medal; Marine Corps Rifle Expert Badge; and Marine Corps Pistol Expert Badge.
Chaplain Roots is married to the former Isaura Maria Cabral of Los Banos, California. They have two married daughters, Laura Christine Spence and Jennifer Kathleen Sousa, and five grandchildren.
Far Western District