BATH — Charles “Sonny” Henry Tibbetts, 79, of Bath, died July 22 at Mid Coast Hospital.

He was born in Augusta on Aug. 6, 1934, son of Elmer Sr. and Ruth S. (Burnham) Tibbetts.

Charles married Barbara “Barbie” Ann Hudson on March 6, 1954. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year.

He grew up in Georgetown and attended Morse High School in Bath. In 1952, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as an avionics and instrument specialist and advanced to the rank of senior master sergeant.

While in the Air Force, Tibbetts was stationed in Arizona, Georgia, Kansas and Maine, as well as Labrador, Greenland and Japan. He retired in June 1973 after a distinguished 20-year career. He then served as an appliance and refrigeration technician for employers including Sears, Emery Waterhouse and Brunswick Naval Air Station.

Ultimately, he opened the C.H. Tibbetts Co. and was well-known and sought-after as an expert appliance repairman. In 1978, he earned a bachelor’s degree in general management from New Hampshire College.

Tibbetts was elected to the Bath City Council in 1982 and proudly served for 20 years. During his tenure, he presided as council chairman and vice chairman for several terms. He also served with the city’s Planning Board, the Bath Bridge Advisory Committee, the Bath Housing Authority and many other civic groups.

As a boy, he spent time clamming at Sagadahoc Bay. He was a long-time member of the Bath Elks. He enjoyed fishing at Bay Point, deer hunting, watching the Red Sox, and most of all, spending time with his family. He enjoyed many summer trips to Bar Harbor with his wife, her sister Nancy and friend Pat.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of Bath; his children, Robert Tibbetts, of North Hanover, New Jersey, Vicki Rose and her husband, J.R., of Bath, and Terri Soule and her husband, Daniel, of Phippsburg; his grandchildren, Sheri Ramsey, of Bath, Becky Ramos and her husband, Marcus, of Naples, Florida, David Moore, of Bowdoinham, Justin Tibbetts and his wife, Amy, of Hamilton, New Jersey, and Jason Tibbetts and his wife, Jennifer, of Sicklerville, New Jersey; and his great-grandchildren, Taylor Ramsey, De’Anthony Echols, Amaya Ramos, Dylan Moore and Clayton Moore.

In addition, he is survived by his brother, Elmer Tibbetts and his wife, Noreen, of South Portland, and his sister, Donna Dodge and her husband, Allen, of Durham. He is also remembered by his extended Hudson family, who embraced him as a brother and uncle.

Visiting hours and a funeral were held at David E. Desmond & Son Funeral Home, in Bath. A burial with full military honors was scheduled to follow.

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