Battles suffered a stroke on March 23, 2007, that left him partially paralyzed and with limited ability to speak. He had been bedridden in recent years.

Battles started his rodeo career upon his discharge from the U.S. Army in 1964. After winning three amateur championships, he joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1973. He had his best season as a professional in 1974 when he came through with a clutch performance at the Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco to qualify for the NFR and finish 14th in the world.

When his competition days were over, he started the Charlie Battles Rodeo Company stock contracting firm in Detroit, Texas. Battles had stock selected for the NFR 12 times (1991-97, 2000-04).

He is survived by his wife, Donna, who was a rodeo secretary and timer, and his sons, Coty and Lance, from a previous marriage. Both sons were PRCA contestants; Coty twice qualified for the NFR as a steer wrestler (1990-91).

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. April 26, at the “Old Hay Pasture Cemetery” (Mimosa Cemetery), in Sulphur, La.

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