Charles Edward Reese, Sr. died peacefully on September 8, 2021. He was born during the Great Depression, the youngest child of Mrs. Elizabeth Nail Reese, who raised her three children on her own from the time Charles was four years old. A lifelong resident of Charlotte until he moved to Cary to live with his son in 2015, he grew up in the Elizabeth neighborhood. Musically gifted, Charles listened to his mother play piano and learned to play himself by ear. He fondly remembered sharing a single Hersey chocolate bar a week with his two sisters.
Charles graduated from Central High School in 1947 and attended one year of Pfeiffer College. He began a career in sales at JA Jones Construction, and also worked for Celanese, Eastland Mall, and World Wide Welding. He continually followed his passion for music, helping to support his family – especially during difficult times – with a dual career in music, playing piano at every opportunity for restaurants, weddings and other events, and playing in a jazz band with friends. One of his favorite jobs was playing piano at the Cajun Queen regularly for about 15 years.
In 1963 Charles met a young woman standing in line to get food at a local dance, and in 1965 he and Rena Elizabeth Patton were married. They had a son, Charles Edward, in 1968. Betty and Chuck enjoyed dancing together for many years.
Charles was a lifelong member of Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church, where he was a member of the Miller Sunday school class and sang in the choir for approximately 45 years. He is predeceased by his wife Betty, his mother Bess, and sisters Anna Reese Wilson and Elizabeth Reese Collier. He is survived by his son Charles Edward Reese, Jr. (Johanna) of Cary, grandsons Cameron and Daniel Reese, and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC on Saturday, September 18th at 2:00 pm, and the family will receive visitors at a reception afterward. To show our care for all of those attending, please wear a mask during the service.
The family requests that those who wish to remember Charles do so with a memorial gift to Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church in Charlotte or the Ruth Sheets Adult Care Center at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh.
https://esumc.org/ruth-sheets-adult-care-center/
https://hawthornelaneumc.churchcenter.com/giving
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh.
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