Charles E. Schwab, 95

LEE, Mass. — Charles Edward Schwab, 95, a life-long resident of Golden Hill Road in Lee, passed away Saturday, November 3, 2018, at Fairview Commons in Great Barrington, Mass. 

Born in Pittsfield, Mass., on December 20, 1922, to Albert Bernhardt Schwab and Janette Francis Winchell, Charlie grew up on Golden Hill Road in Lee, with his brothers Albert Francis (d. 1998), Donald (d. 2000), and a sister Grace. The family moved to the Lenox Dale side of Golden Hill, where they carved out a homestead and farm when he was 8 years old. He attended schools in Lee, Lenox and Pittsfield, and worked on the family farm until he established his own dairy farm on Golden Hill Road in Lee in the late 1940s, living in the same house he grew up in that was part of the old Westinghouse estate.

Charles married Barbara M. Platt on September 15, 1946 (d. 2003) and they raised three children on their Golden Hill farm: Robert, David (d. 2013) and Linda. 

In addition to farming, Charlie was employed as a lumber worker, truck driver and machinist for several employers, including Laurel Hill Dairy (Lee), Frank Andrews Lumber Company (Becket), Borgnis Lumber Company (Pittsfield), the Pittsfield Milk Exchange, Fairdale Farms (Bennington, Vermont), and Pierce Machine Shop (Dalton). After retiring as a machinist, he and his wife Barbara operated a small greenhouse at their farm in Lee for many years. 

Charlie found great pleasure in sharing his beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables with all his friends and family. Besides gardening, Charlie was a jack-of-all-trades and loved woodworking and carpentry. He would build garden trellises, archways, windmills, wishing wells, and lawn animals for anyone who wanted one. Charlie had a warm personality, witty sense of humor, and generous spirit.

He is survived by a sister, Grace Germanowski of Sun City, Ariz.; a son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Susan Schwab of Berrien Springs, Mich.; a daughter-in-law Linda Ann Schwab of Lee, Mass.; a daughter, Linda Schwab Lanoue of Shaftsbury, Vt.; four grandchildren; six great grandchildren; as well as a sister-in-law, several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Funeral notice: There will be no calling hours and burial will be private at the convenience of the family in Fairmont Cemetery in Lee, Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the local food banks in c/o the Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main Street Lee, MA 01238.