Clair J. “CJ” Charles, 94, of New Providence, passed away on Monday, October 15, 2018 at Conestoga View Nursing & Rehabilitation. He was the loving husband of the late Marianne (Geist) Charles, with whom he shared 65 years of marriage at the time of her passing in 2013. Born in New Providence, he was the son of the late David L. and Edna (Johnson) Charles. CJ was a man who lived a full life, loving and serving God, his family and his community. An important part of his life was Zion United Church of Christ where he attended and served most of his life. CJ attended a one-room schoolhouse in New Providence. Early in his life he worked at his father’s sawmill. He served his country during WWII with the 87th Naval Construction Battalion in the South Pacific. In conjunction with New Zealand troops he was part of Operation Goodtime in the Treasury Islands where he helped install the first long-range radar, and received a commendation from the New Zealand Command. He went on to establish CJ Charles Lumber, Inc. in 1955, working there until his retirement in 2004. Recognized as a leader in his industry, CJ was a founding director of the Hardwood Lumber Manufacturers Association in 1980, created to provide a unified voice on state legislative and regulatory issues of the Pennsylvania hardwood industry. He was also a founding and lifetime member of Quarryville VFW Post 3575 and a lifetime member of Tucquan Lions Club. For leisure, CJ was an avid hunter and fisherman. He also enjoyed attending Seabee reunions around the country and local NSVA Island X-5 meetings in Lancaster.
He is survived by his daughters, Julianne C. Chester and G. Chris Charles, both of Lancaster, a son, Keith J. Charles, husband of Carol, of York, three grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Deborah (Charles) Pannell, and his brothers, William “Bill”, Herbert “Herb”, D. Willard “Wink”, and Jere Charles. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 3, at Zion United Church of Christ, 900 Winter Hill Road, Strasburg, PA 17579, with a time of visitation from 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. It was CJ’s wish to be a donor for Humanity Gifts Registry at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey. Interment will be private at a later date. Kindy omit flowers. Donations in CJ’s memory can be made to the Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association at SMSA, P.O. Box 667, Gulfport, MS 39502. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.dewalds.com. Comments are closed.
|
Categories
All
Archives
April 2024
|