Charles R. Stauffer

Saco

Charles R. Stauffer, 81, of Saco, passed away late Sunday evening on February 5, 2023, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice in Scarborough.

He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on May 20, 1941, a son of Charles and Eleanor (Ramsdell) Stauffer. He graduated from Canton High School in Canton, New York. Charles earned his B.A. at St. Lawrence University and, more importantly, met his lovely wife, Jane Torrey. They were married on June 23, 1962.

After a short stint at Jordan Marsh, Charles left the business world to pursue his passion for literature and teaching. He earned his Master of Education from Boston University in 1965. Teaching runs deep in the family: Charles' father taught chemistry at St. Lawrence and Bates College, his sister Anne taught in Auburn, and his brother John in Searsport. His daughter, Kathy, who he was proud to see follow in his teaching footsteps, teaches in Belmont, MA where, in his words "she makes magic happen in her classroom." Even his daughter, Karen, recently joined the profession, teaching in Biddeford.

Charles taught high-school English for 33 years at Needham High School while raising four children in Framingham with Jane. For many years, Charles commuted with one of his teaching colleagues, Bob Goodman. Charles and Bob were known for their frugality, love of scotch, and for letting the children run a bit wild. The Stauffer and Goodman families became friends and shared many summers in Bayside, Maine, in the innermost part of Penobscot Bay.

A deep love of Penobscot Bay made it Charles' happiest place. Frugality and the limits of a teacher's salary be damned, Charles always made sure a boat was moored offshore, ready to explore the bay (an extra bail scoop near at hand). With family and friends, he led many a picnic or overnight around the bay, digging for clams, roasting hot dogs over an unpermitted fire, and assuring along the way that a love of the ocean and boating, as well as the basics of the bowline knot were instilled in his children. At the end of a summer day on the water, Charles would often retire to a wicker rocker to read a book or enjoy the view, or, as his youngest daughter Karen might be heard to say to him, "Dad, all you do is sit here and watch the air!"

Charles and Jane were active in the Bayside summer community of town suppers, sailboat races, and garden parties. He served as the Northport Yacht Club's commodore for a number of years, always proud of the fact that membership was only $25. Briefer was his and friend, Don Rice's tenure as volunteer summer constables, lasting only one night, after Jane and Don's wife, Anne, brought pitchers of screwdrivers for the husbands serving the night shift. In a nod to the importance of education, Charles and Jane sold their beloved Bayside cottage in 1986 to help pay for their four children's college tuition. His four children will always be grateful for this sacrifice.

Charles was ready for retirement, and he and Jane purchased a home in Palm City, Florida with a pool and, of course, a boat moored out front. Even after the first one sunk, Charles was not deterred. They wintered there for 17 years. They spent summers in Searsport Maine, where they shared the old family cottage with sister Anne, that was purchased by Charles and Anne's parents in 1946. The children and grandchildren loved visiting both Florida and Searsport. Many a Florida morning started with one of the grandchildren, standing on a step stool next to Grandpa, and squeezing fresh oranges into a sweet glass of juice. Grandpa Charles was never shy of the pool and would often join the grandchildren for a swim or to monitor one of the many chicken fights. And, of course, he always made time for a boat ride to Stuart for lunch or an ice cream, even to discover and name new places, such as "Ella Island" named after one of his granddaughters.

Charles was not an avid traveler but he and Jane loved traveling to the west coast to visit son, Chris, and his wife, Karen, where they took Charles and Jane cruising on their trawler, "Trombo" to explore new bays, inlets, and islands, or where Charles could simply sit and read or enjoy another spectacular view, "watching the air."

In addition to boating, Charles' hobbies included reading and more reading, typically borrowing five to seven books a week from the library and reading every one of them. Summers in Searsport were filled with visits from the grandchildren who often pitched tents on the lawn, bugged Grandpa for a tractor ride, or – no begging needed – convinced Grandpa that the weather would be good for a boat ride into Belfast for a visit to the Chocolate Drop, where Charles would get in line first, order a strawberry milkshake, and then let Jane pay.

He is survived by his loving wife Jane (Torrey) Stauffer, four children Charles (Chris) Christian Stauffer and wife Karen, William (Bill) Leonard Stauffer and wife Anne, Kathryn (Kathy) Doyle and husband Robert, and Karen Gellis and husband Derek. He is also survived by seven grandchildren who always brought a smile to his face and who were one of the few joys that would cause him to put down his book or get up from an afternoon nap - Sarah, Tory, Ella, Sabina, Josie, Lucy and Simon – and by two siblings Anne Behnke and John Stauffer – and no cell phone. He didn't own one.

Services are private. To view Charles memorial page or leave an online condolence, please visit www.cotefuneralhome.com