Howard “Duke” Charles, 88

January 06, 2024

Howard “Duke” Charles was born on Aug 17, 1935, to the late Howard (Hap) Charles and Genevieve (Gene) Dawson Charles.

Duke grew up in Philadelphia, Blackwood NJ and Downingtown. He was the Valedictorian of Downingtown High School’s Class of 1953 and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Class of 1961 with a degree in economics. While at Penn, he was on the rowing team.

He was a pilot in the US Navy. After flight training, he was stationed on the Battleship USS Wisconsin, which his father helped build, and flew from the aircraft carriers USS Saipan and USS Missouri.

He was a distinguished athlete, excelling in tennis, volleyball, softball, golf, table tennis, archery and bowling, with a collection of trophies for each sport. He also enjoyed skiing and sailing, and piloting private flights for his family.

He spent most of his career working as an accountant for Luken’s Steel and Honeywell. After early retirement, he worked as a Financial Consultant and later in the bursar’s office at Montgomery County Community College.

He and Bette raised four children in Downingtown, where he was involved in the Jaycee’s and both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. He coached and umpired sports. The family enjoyed vacations to Longport NJ and Disney World.

He married Sue Altomari Barrata and they shared 25 wonderful years together, enjoying time with his four and her five children and many grandchildren. They lived in Legacy Oaks in Warrington, where they enjoyed a busy social life and frequently traveled, including trips to Colorado, Europe and Russia.

Throughout his life, he regularly donated blood or platelets.

He loved to ballroom dance. He built/made creative costumes for Halloween, school plays and holiday parties. He participated for Relay for Life events. He loved to play Bridge and bocce.

After being widowed, he spent his remaining years at Moravian Manor in Lititz, where he enjoyed visits with family and was known as the easiest patient during the COVID shutdown. We were very blessed by the care he received there. When offered food or a drink, he would always have “One just to be sociable” and was known to eat his dessert first, never saving the best for last.

He is survived by siblings Jeanne Fox (Ed) and Steve (Terri) Charles; children Kathy (Darrell) Walter of Lititz, Wendy (Joe) Erhardt of Sellersville, Amy Linebarger (boyfriend Gary) of Lititz and Howard “Chip” (Annemarie) Charles of Honeybrook, grandchildren Jenna and Nathan Walter, Bekka, Lacey and Kenzie Erhardt, Guy Linebarger and Isabel Charles. He was preceded in death by a brother, Larry, his wife Dolores (Sue) Altomari Baratta Charles and first wife Kathryn (Bette) Smedley Charles.

Services will be held at Charles Snyder Funeral Home, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz PA. Visitation on Thursday January 11 at 2:00pm, followed by a service at 3:00pm. The service will be available to stream at 4pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Moravian Manor Benevolent Fund, 300 W Lemon St, Lititz PA 17543 or www.moravianmanorcommunities.org/donate