Charles “Charlie” Kelly

BLUFFTON, S.C. – Charles “Charlie” Kelly passed away on Jan. 29, 2025 in Bluffton S.C. with family at his side.

Charlie was born on Jan. 5, 1927 and raised in the Bronx, New York. Upon graduation from Christopher Columbus High School in 1944, at the age of 17, Charlie enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as an aviation radio air crewman. Following his discharge in 1946, Charlie attended, under the GI Bill, Hunter College in the first men’s class in an all women’s college. After one year he left college to join the American Woolen Company in New York City, N.Y., starting in the mailroom. In May 1984 Charlie joined J.P. Stevens Co. where he had a career in sales until retirement.

On May 14, 1949 Charlie married Carol Munson Windrum and settled in Westwood, N.J. where they raised their five children, Janet and her wife Mary (Madden) of Hollywood, Fla., Roger and his wife Joan (Seick) of Bluffton, S.C., Gail Kelly Abel of Essex, N.H., Reverend Catherine Vlastakis and her husband Kirk of Raleigh, N.C. and Richard (deceased) and his wife Pam (Torgersen) of Colchester, Conn.

Charles’ first love and concern was family. Charlie was so proud of his five children; 14 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Even though distance separated him from being with them as much as he would have wanted, he had wonderful memories of “togetherness” particularly summer family reunions in Belgrade Lakes that formed lasting, loving bonds.

No matter where he lived, Charlie always managed to get involved in community and church affairs at times being called “troublemaker” which he took in good stride whether being said in “loving jest” or otherwise. In 1992, he and Carol became charter members of the Union Church in Belgrade Lakes.

Charlie had a strong interest in preserving the environment and was a member of the Belgrade Lakes Association. While residing in the Belgrade Lakes Village, Charlie became involved with development of Peninsula Park to eliminate much of the damaging runoff from entering Long Pond as well as in obtaining a substantial MDOT grant to install a system of catch basins along Route 27.

In December 2004, Charlie and Carol moved to a condo in Waterville and again retired…this time from scraping and painting an old house, cutting grass, shoveling snow, and devoted the “saved” energy for other volunteer projects in town.

Volunteering continued to be a big part of his life in Waterville, both in community and in church, and in particular, he was pleased to have volunteered at Thayer Hospital for 25 years and fortunate to have made friends there while amassing over 3500 volunteer hours. For several years, he and Carol assisted with the evening sandwich program at the Unitarian Church in Waterville as well as the Food Bank at Pleasant Street United Methodist Church.

Sharing a passion for equality, Charlie, Carol, and several others saw a need for a PFLAG (Parent and Friends of Lesbian and Gays) chapter in the community of Waterville. PFLAG is the extended family of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) community which is made up of LGBTQ individuals, family member, and allies. Charlie was President Emeritus until the Chapter dissolved in November 2024.

Volunteering was just Charlie’s way of saying “thanks” for the gift of a wonderful life.

Family and friends will be gathering on Sunday, Aug. 3 after the 9:30 a.m. worship service at Pleasant Street United Methodist Church, 61 Pleasant St., Waterville.

Donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice.