Charles William Speight January 25, 1926 – December 27, 2018 Share this obituary Local Florists Send Sympathy Gifts Sign Guestbook| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card SPEIGHT, Charles William, born January 25, 1926, passed away at the Haven at Brandermill Woods on December 27, 2018. Charlie was predeceased by his beloved wife, Jean Gardiner Speight, to whom he had been married 55 years; and his sister, Joan. He is survived by three siblings, Leslie Speight and his wife, Greta Riley, Margaret Whitaker and Maureen Cooper; three daughters, Ann Wade and her partner, Jack Tyson, Janet Thompson and her husband, Claude and Julie Speight; three grandchildren, Bonnie Lowe and her husband, Jamie, Claude Thompson III and Morgan Thompson; four great-grandchildren, James Lowe, Mark Lowe and his wife, Amanda, Brandon Lowe and Kayli Lowe; and two great-great-grandchildren, Adilene and Isaac Lowe; and his special friend, Margaret Twilley.
Charlie was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, and spent his youth in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. During WWII, he served in the British Royal Navy aboard the battleship HMS Howe. After the war he took advantage of a special program for war veterans and took both Electrical Engineering and Drafting courses and in 1951, he and Jean emigrated to Canada after researching the country.
Charlie later took Mechanical Engineering courses at Kent State, advancing his career as a mechanical engineer, which eventually brought him to Lynchburg, Va. , where he worked for Babcock & Wilcox Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant as a manager until retirement. While working there, he was awarded a patent associated with the commercial nuclear fuel systems.
Charlie had an adventuresome spirit which took him from his home in England to Canada and New Zealand before finally settling in the U.S., first Ohio, then Virginia. He loved traveling, walking and hiking, and has climbed many of the mountains in the Blue Ridge, most notably Virginia’s Sharp Top of the Peaks of Otter (which he climbed at least 50 times) and Old Rag (which he last attempted at age 86. ) He loved the trails in Brandermill and would routinely walk 10 or 12 miles up until about age 88 when his health began to decline.
Charlie was also a Master Gardener in Lynchburg, where he taught young people how to design and create gardens, both vegetable and floral. His own gardens, flower and vegetable, were spectacular, organic and prolific. He took up woodcarving after moving to Brandermill and crafted very intricate pieces.
These words are a feeble attempt at describing the man who was greatly loved and will be sorely missed. A Celebration of Life will be held at Brandermill Woods Retirement Community, The Chesterfield, 2100 Brandermill Pkwy. , Midlothian, Virginia 23112, on Saturday, January 5, 2019, from 2 to 4 p.m. The family would like to thank the staff of Brandermill Woods Assisted Living, Health Care Center and Rehab for the excellent care they gave to our father and for treating him and us like family.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Heart Association.
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