Charles A. St. ClairSecurity guard, veteranCharles A. St...

Charles A. St. Clair

Security guard, veteran

Charles A. St. Clair, a retired security guard and Navy veteran who was prominent in veterans affairs, died Saturday at the University of Maryland Medical Center after open-heart surgery. He was 69.

At the time of his death, he was a member of the Maryland Veterans Home Commission. He was appointed to the panel by Gov. William Donald Schaefer in 1988.

The Severn resident had been active since 1949 in American Legion Post 40 in Glen Burnie, where he held numerous positions, including post commander.

He had been Anne Arundel County commander of the Legion and Southern Maryland district commander. In 1976, he was named Maryland department commander. In 1984 was elected national sergeant-at-arms.

He first joined the Legion in the 1930s when his father, a World War I Navy veteran, enrolled him in the Sons of the American Legion Boys Brigade.

Mr. St. Clair was employed for 15 years as a security guard at the state office complex on West Preston Street. He retired in 1992.

He had held other jobs, includinga streetcar motorman for the Baltimore Transit Co.

Born and raised in West Baltimore, he attended city schools, leaving during World War II to serve in the Navy. He saw action in the Pacific as a gunner aboard the aircraft carrier Intrepid and was discharged in 1945 with the rank of seaman first class.

He earned his high school equivalency diploma in 1987.

Services for Mr. St. Clair were held yesterday .

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, the former Virginia R. Pyle; two daughters, Jacklin Lee Wheeler of Ridgely and Barbara Marie Griggs of Pasadena; and four grandchildren.