Charles Black Dies; Wedded Shirley Temple

Charles Black, 86, a businessman, maritime expert and the husband of former child star Shirley Temple Black, died Aug. 4 at his home in the San Francisco suburb of Woodside. He had suffered from the bone disorder myelodysplastic syndrome for nearly three years.

Mr. Black and Temple met in 1950 in Honolulu, where he had been working for a shipping company. They married that year.

Mrs. Black, 77, a former U.S. ambassador to Ghana, said by phone from her home: "I fell in love with him at first sight. It sounds corny, but that's what happened. But I don't think he did with me."

Mrs. Black was 22 when she and her husband met.

After moving to California, Mr. Black started a fishing and hatchery company and worked as a consultant on maritime issues. He served on a Commerce Department advisory committee, as well as various National Research Council panels. He also co-founded a Massachusetts-based company that developed unmanned deep-ocean search and survey imaging systems.

Born in Oakland, Calif., in 1919, Mr. Black received bachelor's and master's degrees in business from Stanford University. He served as a naval intelligence officer in the Pacific theater during World War II, and his decorations included the Silver Star.

Besides his wife, survivors include two children and a stepdaughter from Temple's first marriage to actor John Agar.