Changes

From October 1, 1966, to August 9, 1971, Maple, a former Jaycee, was the executive director of the chamber of commerce in Minden. In that capacity he worked on the city capital improvement program, adopted by voters in a special election held in the spring of 1967. The program entailed a one-cent municipal sales tax increase.<ref>"Sales tax Squeezes Out Narrow Victory", ''Minden Press-Herald'', May 24, 1967, p. 1.</ref> The Minden chamber under Maple was voted the first "accredited" body in Louisiana.<ref>"Maple to Leave Local Chamber", ''Minden Press-Herald'', August 9, 1971, p. 1.</ref> He thereafter accepted the same position in Sapulpa near [[Tulsa]], Oklahoma.<ref name=tst/><ref>The Sapulpa Chamber of Commerce does not have the date that Maples left that organization.</ref>

From October 1, 1966, to August 9, 1971, Maple, a former Jaycee, was the executive director of the chamber of commerce in Minden. In that capacity he worked on the city capital improvement program, adopted by voters in a special election held in the spring of 1967. The program entailed a one-cent municipal sales tax increase.<ref>"Sales tax Squeezes Out Narrow Victory", ''Minden Press-Herald'', May 24, 1967, p. 1.</ref> The Minden chamber under Maple was voted the first "accredited" body in Louisiana.<ref>"Maple to Leave Local Chamber", ''Minden Press-Herald'', August 9, 1971, p. 1.</ref> He thereafter accepted the same position in Sapulpa near [[Tulsa]], Oklahoma.<ref name=tst/><ref>The Sapulpa Chamber of Commerce does not have the date that Maples left that organization.</ref>

Maples assumed the chamber position in Minden after nearly six years with ''The Press'' and ''The Herald''. The position opened when Tom Colten, who had sold the newspaper in 1965 and became the chamber director, resigned in 1966 to run, successfully, for [[mayor]] of Minden, the first [[Republican Party|Republican]] in that position since [[Reconstruction]].<ref name=phaug>''Minden Press-Herald'', August 1, 1966, p. 1</ref> From August 1977 to September 1980, Maple was president of the chamber in Jacksonville in East Texas.<ref name=obit/><ref name=tst/>

Maples assumed the chamber position in Minden after nearly six years with ''The Press'' and ''The Herald''. The position opened when Tom Colten, who had sold the newspaper in 1965 and became the chamber director, resigned in 1966 to run, successfully, for [[mayor]] of Minden, the first [[Republican Party|Republican]] in that position since [[Reconstruction]].<ref name=phaug>''Minden Press-Herald'', August 1, 1966, p. 1</ref> From August 1977 to September 1980, Maple was president of the chamber in Jacksonville in East Texas.<ref name=tst/><ref name=obit/>

In civic affairs, Maple volunteered for twenty-five years with the [[Boy Scouts of America]].<ref name=palaciosb>{{cite web|url=http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/TXMATAGO/2006-12/1167429642|title=Charles Edward Maple|publisher=''The Palacios Beacon''|location=Matagorda County, [[Texas]]|date=November 29, 2006|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> He was a member of the [[United Methodist]] Church. He also served on the Minden Beautification Council.<ref name=phaug/>

In civic affairs, Maple volunteered for twenty-five years with the [[Boy Scouts of America]].<ref name=palaciosb>{{cite web|url=http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/TXMATAGO/2006-12/1167429642|title=Charles Edward Maple|publisher=''The Palacios Beacon''|location=Matagorda County, [[Texas]]|date=November 29, 2006|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> He was a member of the [[United Methodist]] Church. He also served on the Minden Beautification Council.<ref name=phaug/>

==Texas State Railroad==

==Texas State Railroad==

In 1981, Maple joined the Texas Parks and Wildlife Departments the assistant superintendent of the Texas State Railroad, a heritage railroad between Rusk in Cherokee County and Palestine in Anderson County. After twelve years, health issues compelled his retirement from the parks system.<ref name=obit/><ref name=tst/> A year after Maple's death, the Texas State Railroad, which consistently failed to turn a profit, was leased for operation by American Heritage Railway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winwaed.com/rail/texas/state_railroad.shtml|title=The Texas State Railroad|publisher=winwaed.com|accessdate=May 25, 2010}}</ref>

In 1981, Maple joined the Texas Parks and Wildlife Departments the assistant superintendent of the Texas State Railroad, a heritage railroad between Rusk in Cherokee County and Palestine in Anderson County. After twelve years, health issues compelled his retirement from the parks system.<ref name=tst/><ref name=obit/> A year after Maple's death, the Texas State Railroad, which consistently failed to turn a profit, was leased for operation by American Heritage Railway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winwaed.com/rail/texas/state_railroad.shtml|title=The Texas State Railroad|publisher=winwaed.com|accessdate=May 25, 2010}}</ref>

==Later years and family==

==Later years and family==

Maple was married for fifty-one years to the former Claudia Lucille Martin (July 31, 1935 &ndash; July 15, 2009), the daughter of Claude Mayall Martin and the former Lois Donaldson. A native Texan, she graduated in 1952 from Lyndon B. Johnson High School in Johnson City, Texas. She met her husband at Texas Tech, where she also procured a degree in journalism and thereafter taught [[English]] and journalism at Mena High School in Mena, Arkansas, prior to becoming a kindergarten teacher at both private [Christianity|Christian]] and public schools for two decades.<ref name=claudiamapleinmph/>

Maple was married for fifty-one years to the former Claudia Lucille Martin (July 31, 1935 &ndash; July 15, 2009), the daughter of Claude Mayall Martin and the former Lois Donaldson. A native Texan, she graduated in 1952 from Lyndon B. Johnson High School in Johnson City, Texas. She met her husband at Texas Tech, where she also procured a degree in journalism and thereafter taught [[English]] and journalism at Mena High School in Mena, Arkansas, prior to becoming a kindergarten teacher at both private [[Christianity|Christian]] and public schools for two decades.<ref name=claudiamapleinmph/>

 

 

At the time of their deaths, he from a long illness, and she from a short fight with liver cancer, the Maples were residing in Pearsall in Frio County, Texas, south of [[San Antonio]]. Charles Maple had a stepmother, the late Esther Giles Maple, and a surviving stepsister, Gail B. Deaton (born 1942) of Portales, [[New Mexico]]. He and Claudia had one daughter, Carol Maple Chatfield and husband, David, then of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]; three sons, David Maple and wife, Darla, of Marble Falls, Texas, Mark E. Maple (born 1962) and wife, Lisa, of Bullard, Texas, and Ted Martin Maple (born 1965) and wife, Corina, of Pearsall, and ten grandchildren.<ref name=claudiamapleinmph>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=39616037|title=Claudia Martin Maple|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|date=July 18, 2009|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> 

At the time of their deaths, he from a long illness, and she from a short fight with liver cancer, the Maples were residing in Pearsall in Frio County, Texas, south of [[San Antonio]]. Charles Maple had a stepmother, the late Esther Giles Maple, and a surviving stepsister, Gail B. Deaton (born 1942) of Portales, [[New Mexico]]. He and Claudia had one daughter, Carol Maple Chatfield and husband, David, then of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]; three sons, David Maple and wife, Darla, of Marble Falls, Texas, Mark E. Maple (born 1962) and wife, Lisa, of Bullard, Texas, and Ted Martin Maple (born 1965) and wife, Corina, of Pearsall, and ten grandchildren.<ref name=claudiamapleinmph>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=39616037|title=Claudia Martin Maple|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|date=July 18, 2009|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>