Charlie Gagnon – Production Worker
Charles Gagnon was born in Port Angeles on August 11, 1949 with profound hearing loss undetected until he was in the second grade. However, it wasn’t until he was in his early 30’s when experiencing night blindness that he was diagnosed with Ushers Syndrome Type II, a combination of hearing and vision loss.
Working hard was instilled in Charles from a young age, working on the family farm throughout his childhood. His first job off the farm was at a resort at Lake Crescent where he pumped gas, did maintenance work, cleaned, and even made donuts. His last job before moving to Spokane in hopes to be hired by the Lighthouse was mowing the shoulder of county roads for Clallam County.
Charles and his wife Cathy, who is currently a temporary worker at our Inland Northwest Lighthouse facility, have been married over 40 years and have one daughter. In his spare time, Charles has built and raced cars, water skied, and even flew an airplane.
Charles enjoys his job as a Production Worker. He especially likes running the saws, building wallboards, and working closely with others.
About working at the Lighthouse, Charles says, “I like that we all share a common goal, and don’t have to hide our visual impairment.”
