My Father’s Legacy

Here’s what I’ve been working on, to insert into the program for my father’s celebration of life later this month. Slowly but surely, I’m finding some words.

There was a boy
A very strange, enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far
Very far
Over land and sea
A little shy
And sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day
One magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me

The greatest thing
You’ll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved in return

“Nature Boy”, song by Nat King Cole, Lyrics by Eden Ahbez

To know Charley was to love him.

It was clear from a young age that Charley was something special.  He blew away expectations at Cross Keys High School in Atlanta, GA, receiving top grades and charming his teachers and peers. He went on to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for a degree in Electrical Engineering, then obtained a master’s degree in information engineering at University of Michigan. This spark continued into his budding career in a little-known field called Computer Science.  He impressed his manager so much during his internship for Comshare in Ann Arbor, Michigan that it turned into 31 years of employment as a Software Engineer, followed by 11 more years as a Software Architect when they became JDA Software in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Yet Charley’s legacy is so much more than what he accomplished at the office. 

Warm, kind, and clever, Charley touched countless lives through his love for family and friends and serving his community. If you needed a ride, he would stick around for the return trip; if you asked for a dollar, he’d give you twenty (true story).  He was the person you wanted on the other end of all your meaningful conversations; when he listened to you, he made you feel like the most important person in the universe. He considered any day where he could be helpful to be a day well spent, and to be on the receiving end of that energy – and that smile — was to be very blessed indeed.

It’s impossible to talk about Charley without also remembering how much he cherished and cultivated art. He adored paintings, poetry, and prose.  He was borderline obsessed with great cinema, and fiercely committed to making film-watching a near daily part of his life. That said, there was possibly no art more important to Charley than music, his constant companion through every twist and turn of his life. He started playing piano at a young age and spent countless hours in vinyl listening booths in record stores. Over the years, he also developed a knack for singing and lent his velvet bass to multiple chorales. He further fed his enthusiasm by amassing a vast collection of albums, cassettes, CDs, and digital downloads.  To say that Charley’s life had a running soundtrack would not be overstating it — and that’s exactly how he wanted it.

Charley spent his final decade on this planet continuing to live a full life, and despite his pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis strove to experience as much of the world as possible. Like many others in his family, he found great joy in traveling and spending time in nature. In addition to the many international journeys that he held dear, one of his favorite spots was just a short drive away: the red rocks of Sedona. He would walk to where the rock met the water, find a comfortable perch, then close his eyes and let the sounds fill his soul with peace. If you were lucky enough to join him on such a stroll, you know that Charley’s peace was contagious. It brought you peace as well.

On the morning of July 28, 2023, Charley finally found the ultimate peace, surrounded by his adoring wife and daughters.  He will be greatly missed. We can only hope to continue his legacy of loving, serving, cherishing, living fully, and finding our own paths to peacefulness.

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A special thank you to all of you for joining us in today’s celebration.