Mr. Charles "Charlie" Joseph Watson Carpenter

When someone is identified as a natural leader, first thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated, and disciplined person. Charles Joseph Watson Carpenter, who was indeed a born manager, will be remembered as being organized, practical, and realistic. He always carried a strong sense of duty with him throughout his life. Possessed with traditional “old-school” morals, Charlie clearly communicated to those around him just who he was and what he was all about. Everyone acquainted with Charlie knew him as a well-respected and well-liked man who was a stable force in his community. Charlie was a gentleman.

Charlie’s parents were Florence Mildred (“Millie”) Walton and Nicholas Edward (“Ted”) Carpenter; since they were frequently absent for long periods for work, the only “home” young Charlie knew was that of his grandparents, Watson and Flossie Walton, at 275 Moffat Street in Orillia, Ontario (and his thoughts returned there often throughout his life). In these early years, Charlie was regularly called "Junior", although it didn't stick for long in the family, except with one or two uncles. After Millie parted from Ted and remarried in 1947, William John (“Jack”) Wickett became Charlie’s new dad; and so, from the age of 10, he lived with his family in the west end of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario when Jack found work at Algoma Steel.

Charlie had four siblings in total: he was raised with one older brother, "Buddy" (Errol) and a younger brother, John (who drowned while canoeing, in October, 1965); in much later years, Charlie learned that he also had a younger half-sister, Diane, and a younger half-brother, "Reg" (Richard) living in Manitoba, from his father, Ted’s second marriage.

Even as a youngster, Charlie learned to be objective and decisive. His faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something he carried with him throughout life. As a child of two alcoholics, he became a serious boy far too early, and often shouldered much of the household responsibilities, including cooking the evening meals. He was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that his brothers did what they should do and (with less success) avoided those things they weren’t supposed to.

As a young boy, Charlie enjoyed being part of teams and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. He got along well with everybody, although when put on the spot, he was a formidable scrapper for a little guy! Charlie could always be found playing sandlot baseball or shinny hockey. In his spare time, he was very fond of – and had a real knack for - raising pigeons, in his grandparents’ yard. In summers in Orillia, he was swimming in nearby Lake Couchiching whenever possible with his brothers and all the neighbourhood boys.

In school, Charlie was a serious and conscientious student. A logical and focused thinker, Charlie was always good at following directions and meeting schedules, whether set by his teachers or self-imposed. Charlie’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time.” Charlie's memorable achievements included winning the Anna McCrea medal for high achievement at McFadden School. Then, he attended Collegiate Institute in Sault Ste. Marie. His favourite class in high school was history. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Mr. Glen Cond (whose son, Lynn Cond later taught Charlie’s children at White Pines). Despite his school success, and perhaps in search of some independence from his difficult home life, Charlie left high school after grade 10 to be employed full time at Cliffe Printing Company, where he had been working, after school and on weekends, from the age of 14.

That was the beginning of Charlie’s life-long career as a printer. He was proudly employed for 50 years by Cliffe Printing, working for Madeline & Herbert Cliffe; and then Lorna & Charles Cliffe, their son; and finally, for Andy Inch. Over those busy years, Charlie progressed, from being a shop assistant and delivery boy; to a pressman and shop foreman; to purchaser and operations & business manager; and even, for a decade, to boss and owner: in 1979, Charlie and 4 long-time colleagues -- Larry Vincent, Al Marshall, Don Martell, and “young Andy” -- purchased the business from Charlie Cliffe and were co-owners until 1987, when Andy became principal shareholder. Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Charlie was always striving to make improvements. He was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent supervisor, Charlie worked co-operatively and expected the same from his colleagues. In both his personal and professional environments, Charlie upheld his standards. Charlie was a team player who certainly lived the motto of, “Give me a job, and I will get it done.”

Coming from his stern and spare upbringing, Charlie revelled in his family and married life. On June 21, 1958, Charlie exchanged wedding vows with Shirley Asenath Weeks at Central United Church of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He had met Shirley some 2 years earlier at the Memorial Gardens concessions canteen (where she worked with Loraine Thibodeau, her future sister-in-law). Charlie was late for their first date - he got Shirley's address wrong, and showed up at a ballpark down the street! For the evening's entertainment, Charlie took them for a car ride down a dark stretch of Hwy 17 E to Echo Bay. (Shirley wondered what the heck she’d got herself into!) With almost no money to spare, their courtship was often just a cup of tea on the front porch of 327 North Street. Charlie finally proposed to Shirley on the evening of a holiday hayride. They enjoyed more than 48 truly happy years together. On their 25th anniversary, following a big surprise party with family and neighbours in their backyard, their children sent them on a 3-week car trip across western Canada with Shirley’s brother and sister-in-law, Dave and Loraine Weeks.

Charlie adored his children, he worried about them, and was concerned for their development as they grew up. He maintained a firm hand in their upbringing. Charlie would give his approval to their requests, if he could see how they might benefit. Mostly, Shirley enforced the rules as needed to ensure that the children were properly raised. Charlie and Shirley were blessed with three children: two daughters, Lee Ann and Laurel Lynn, and one son, Richard Charles. They were also blessed with four grandchildren, Carlie and Brenden Carson, and Alana and Sarah Benson. In his life, Charlie was most proud of his family. He loved them with all his heart.

Charlie held high moral standards and was worried about the moral decay he saw around him. He was raised in the United Church of Canada, and he and Shirley encouraged their kids to attend Sunday school at Emmanuel United; however, he was non-observant in adult life.

Charlie was very sociable and approachable. Because he was always so straightforward in how he approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. Those close to Charlie came to expect and admire his high standards. He enjoyed the camaraderie of friends, especially if they were enjoying beers together! One of his most endearing qualities was his unending enthusiasm for gatherings of his family and friends. He hated being a houseguest, but he loved being a host – 39 Park Street was forever the “Do-Drop Inn”! While growing up, some of Charlie’s best friends were Richard Greco and his family, and the Luciani brothers, Richard and Tony. He and Shirley remained dear friends with Richard Greco and his wife, Jackie Cristello; through the years, they became close friends with many neighbours, like Janet and Mike Moore of Korah Road; and on Park Street, Barb and Gerry McLeod, Rick and Roz Dowhoszya, Olga and Leif Hansen, Una and Dan Martineau, and Carol and Kevin Ross. Charlie and Shirley were especially close with her siblings and their spouses, and they gathered frequently with the brothers and sisters, around the kitchen table on Park Street; at the Royal Canadian Legion; or at monthly town-hall dances "down the line". Shirley's elder brother and sister-in-law, Gord and Ida (Babb) Weeks, travelled from Harbour Grace, NL on a few occasions; and, over the years, Shirley's eldest brother and his second wife, Russ and Inge Weeks, paid bi-annual summer visits to the Soo, from Los Angeles, Victoria, or Kelowna, and were always made very welcome in their home-away-from-home on Park Street. Charlie never balked at the numbers of houseguests or their extended stays - the visits made Shirley very happy, and that pleased him above all else.

Charlie approached his leisure time in the same manner that he approached his life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, he appreciated the hours he was able to devote to his various hobbies. His favourite pursuits, at various periods of his life, were hunting and fishing, beer-league baseball, penny-ante poker, keeping a vegetable garden, and reading novels and histories. On television, he never missed a good World War II picture or a John Wayne movie. Charlie loved music, especially a good Country & Western tune, like “You Are My Sunshine”. He was a good dancer and loved nothing better than to twirl Shirley around a dance floor, humming happily in her ear!

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Charlie to do in life and that carried over to his enjoyment of sports. Recreational sports in adult years included assistant-coaching boys' hockey, bowling, and playing baseball with friends. More than anything, he loved watching his favourite sports team on television – he was a die-hard fan of his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club and their top-scoring Stanley Cup champion, Frank Mahovlich. In later years, he would often watch Blue Jays baseball on summer nights.

Being generous with his time and energy, Charlie could often be found helping family or friends with their projects and home improvements. He had a strong back and plenty of wise advice drawn from his own considerable experience at do-it-yourself repairs. (When money was often tight, there was no other option.) He was not drawn to joining any groups or organizations, although he had such opportunities through work. Earlier in his career, he did attend some Dale Carnegie sessions and Toastmasters evenings. Politically, Charlie was a dyed-in-the-wool Progressive Conservative.

When it came time to take a vacation, Charlie much preferred to stay closer to home, rather than travel (even if there had been money for trips). Favourite vacations included deer-hunting trips with his maternal uncles in his youth; through his earlier years of marriage, he loved fishing weekends with Richard Greco; and for many years, he enjoyed a week each fall, hunting for moose and partridge. Poplar Dale east of the Soo was a frequent destination. Over the years, he hunted or fished with Joe DeGraw, Bill Hall, Uncle Wally and Uncle Jim Walton, Rick Dowhoszya, Richard Greco, and Dave Harnden. In later years, Charlie and Kevin Ross would hunt and fish around Kevin’s camp at Devil’s Lake.

As their children were growing, Charlie and Shirley looked forward to taking their family for summer weekend days, and the occasional holiday week, down to Pine Island at the generous invitation of Shirley’s sister and brother-in-law, Betty & Dutch Honsberger. Their door was always open, and the whole Weeks clan would join in the fun, as often as possible, swimming, laughing, and feasting, and reliving their treasured memories of the island and happy summers passed there at their Aunt Laura’s camp, which had offered safe harbour and comforting respite from their hard-scrabble young lives at home.

Charlie was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. As a child, Charlie always had hounds around the Orillia homestead. And, he was very fond of the pigeons he kept. The Carpenters had three dogs on Park Street: Tippy, Prince, and Scotty.

Charlie’s retirement eventually arrived in December, 2001. It was hard for him to step away, but he also felt it was time: with the sweeping digital-technology changes to the printing industry, the cheaper, quicker results that consumers had come to accept were simply no match for his high professional standards for a quality product. One big project he undertook at home was finally to build a long dreamt-of garage, which he insulated and heated to serve also as his workshop. Charlie enjoyed 5 years of puttering around and relaxing at home with Shirley, until her sudden passing in January, 2007; and another dozen with his second wife, Roslyn (Downing) Dowhoszya. In retirement, he took enthusiastic new pleasure in refinishing “antique” wooden furniture picked up (for as cheap as possible!) at garage sales, which he then gifted to family and friends. His output was prolific. His children and grandchildren have saved many pieces as keepsakes. His workshop efforts were slowed, only briefly, by the necessity of a multiple-bypass heart operation in February, 2009. With a new lease on life, Charlie married Roz on September 11, 2010; together, they travelled to see family in Canada and the States; and enjoyed frequent car rides in the country; tending to their yard and flowers; and passing afternoons at the casino.

Charlie passed away on the morning of Thursday, January 9, 2020 in his favourite reclining chair, in the family home of 55 years, at 39 Park Street, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Charlie died exactly as he would have wanted, felled by a sudden, swift, and efficient heart attack, without lingering pain or suffering, for himself or his family. He is survived by his second wife, Roz; by his children, Lee Ann Benson (Matthew) of Dryden, Laurel Carson of the Soo, and Richard Carpenter of Toronto; by his grandchildren, Carlie Doan (Steve) and Brenden Carson (Riley Jo) in the Soo, Alana Benson in Kingston, and Sarah Benson in Ottawa; by Mike, Leah, Alexandra, and Colton Dowhoszya in Thunder Bay, and Steve Dowhoszya in the Soo; and by his great-grandchildren, Kaidyn Beaird, Hayden and Ayva Brason-Doan, and Delylah Joan Asenath Doan. Services were held on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at Arthur Funeral Home in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Charlie was laid to rest on Thursday, January 16, 2020, reunited again with Shirley in New Greenwood Cemetery, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

All who knew him would agree that Charlie was a pillar of the community. He lived his life with his feet firmly on the ground. He had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in his thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. He was willing to share his ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. ("You can put that in your back pocket!") Charles Joseph Watson Carpenter did his best to ensure that each of his family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life he touched, was given the chance to become a better person, as they surely were, for having known and loved him.

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CARPENTER, Charles Joseph Watson "Charlie" - Passed away peacefully at the Sault Area Hospital on Thursday, January 9, 2020 in his 83rd year. Survived by his wife, Roslyn (née Downing). Predeceased by his wife, Shirley (née Weeks) in 2007. Beloved father of Lee Ann Benson (Matthew), Laurel Carson, and Richard. Stepfather of Mike Dowhoszya (Leah) and Steve Dowhoszya. Loving Grandpa of Carlie Doan (Steve), Brenden Carson (Riley Jo), Alana and Sarah Benson, Alex and Colton Dowhoszya. Great Grandpa of Kaidyn, Hayden, Ayva, and Delylah. Son of the late Jack and Millie Wickett. Brother of the late Errol Carpenter (Joan) and the late John (Fay). Dear brother-in-law of the late Russell Weeks (Inge), the late Gordon Weeks (late Ida), the late Betty Honsberger (late Dutch), the late Bud Weeks (late Ida), the late Laurel MacIntyre (late Stan), and the late David Weeks (Loraine); Diana Chapman (John), Peter Downing (Stephanie), and the late Art Downing. Uncle of many nieces and nephews. Loyal friend to many. Charlie was very proud to be a valued colleague and office manager at Cliffe Printing for fifty years; he was a popular and highly esteemed associate of countless customers across many industries in Sault Ste. Marie. Friends are invited to visit at the Arthur Funeral Home - Barton & Kiteley Chapel (492 Wellington St. East 705-759-2522) on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm. Celebration of Life to follow in the chapel at 1:00 pm with Rev. Phil Miller officiating. Memorial contributions (payable by cheque) to a charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family. Please visit Arthur Funeral Home website obituaries to leave memories and condolences as a keepsake for the family.