Watson, Charles R.

Charles R. “Charlie” Watson, 75, of Windsor, beloved husband and best friend for 42 years of Mary Ann (Evans) Watson, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 22, 2023. Charlie was born in Wilson, NC, son of the late Charles and Eula Mae (Woodard) Watson, and after World War II, his family moved to Virginia where he attended local schools. He received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Richmond and earned both his Master's Degree and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Tennessee. Charlie worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and with Sloan Kettering in New York before accepting a position as an Organic Chemist with Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford. He was very proud of the fact that he was associated with the creation of hundreds of patents and retired from Pratt & Whitney after over 35 years of service as Sr. Fellow of Organic Matrix and Composite Materials.

Charlie was an intelligent, funny, and loving husband, father, stepfather, grandfather, and friend. He will be fondly remembered as a kind, thoughtful, honest, and unassuming man who loved his family and friends. Charlie was generous with his time and talents and was always there to help those in need. He had a tremendous amount of positive energy and was always moving and creating new projects to busy himself. Charlie had a wonderful sense of humor and was not afraid to show his true feelings to those he loved. Even with all his notable successes, he disliked being the center of attention, appreciated his privacy, and enjoyed more intimate settings to big crowds. Charlie appreciated the beauty in the world and enjoyed everything around him. Charlie was accomplished in many areas and always strove for excellence. He had broad interests and was an expert at his many hobbies. He did his absolute finest work. Charlie was passionate about woodworking, wood carving, and photography. He studied the fine details of these arts through the numerous books he studied very carefully to perfect his craft. Charlie was a self-taught master of carving and cabinetry and made many beautiful items throughout his life. He appreciated Shaker techniques and incorporated that style into much of his work. As a wood carver, he studied Northwest Indian Art and created many pieces in honor of their culture. He was a member of several woodworking and antique tool groups and dearly loved sharing ideas about tools and woodworking. He was a regular at the local Woodcraft store and taught classes on technique occasionally. Charlie also loved photography and admired the work of Edward Weston and Ansel Adams enormously. Charlie was a history buff, especially early American history. He was a member and regular visitor of Mystic Seaport. He appreciated the intricate details in the woodworking on the boats and historic memorabilia. He was an amazing cook, a big fan of Jacques Pepin, and was always willing to share his recipes and teach his cooking secrets to anyone willing to learn. Charlie's father was a professional baker, and he spent a lot of time learning how to bake from scratch from watching him. As a young man, Charlie was an Eagle Scout and always had a sense of adventure and an interest in the outdoors, so he thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful surroundings that he and Mary Ann worked together to create.

In addition to the love of his life, Mary Ann, he is survived by his son, Josiah Watson and his wife Aleta Wimbish of Glen Allen, VA; his stepdaughter, Lynne Eichner of Eugene, OR; his grandsons, James and Alex Watson; and many dear friends.

His family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 31, 4-6 p.m., at Carmon Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Ave., Windsor. Burial will be private.

To leave a condolence for his family, please visit www. carmonfuneralhome.com