Charles Parry

Charles George Parry, 74, died peacefully at home in Chestertown, MD, on December 3, following a valiant battle with bladder cancer. Born Feb. 19, 1936, to the late, Albert Middleton Parry and the late, Ruth Hornor Parry, he was a native of Moorestown, NJ. He was a graduate of Moorestown High School, Class of 1953, and Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, Class of 1957, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and a competitor on the Colgate University Sailing Team. Following graduation from Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid. After marrying his wife, Linda Platt, in 1964, he became an employee of Reliance Insurance Company, Philadelphia. He worked for Reliance for 36 years in offices in Philadelphia, Montclair, Wayne, and Haddonfield, NJ, Detroit, MI, Manhattan, NY and Radnor, PA. He became a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter in 1975, and retired as the company’s Senior Compliance Officer in 2000. A lifetime sailing enthusiast, he spent his childhood summers at the Seaside Park Yacht Club, Seaside Park, NJ, and later was a member and board member at the Island Heights Yacht Club, Island Heights, NJ. He was also an experienced boat builder, crafting boats ranging in size from Penguins, Optimists and dinghies to a 26-ft. one-design keel boat, “Gardyloo,” which is still raced in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay out of Annapolis under different ownership. He became commodore of the Rock Hall Yacht Club in 2002 and served in that capacity for four years. During his tenure, he founded the Rock Hall Yacht Club Sailing School (RHYCSS) for children from age five to 14. Since the sailing school’s creation, he passed his love of sailing to more than 670 students, who called him “Mr. Chuck.” He also counted many adults among his spare-time students. One of his proudest achievements was bringing the USA Junior Olympic Chesapeake Bay Open Sailing Festival to the Rock Hall Yacht Club in July of 2010. A direct descendant of William Penn’s secretary, James Logan, he was a lifelong Quaker, whose family roots run deep in the Delaware Valley. In addition to his beloved wife of 46 years, he is survived by three children, Albert Edward Parry and his wife, Melissa, Vanessa Parry Ross and her husband, Glenn, Kathryn Parry Mathis and her husband, Michael. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Steven James Mathis, Lauren Elizabeth Mathis, and Matthew Charles Mathis; Nicholas Edward Parry; Alexandra Middleton Parry; Caroline Geisel Parry and Cameron Louise Parry. He is survived by his sister, Kathryn Parry Martin, sister, Logan Parry Hottle and her husband, Will. Two of his siblings, Patricia Parry Powell and Kirk Hornor Parry, predeceased him. He is survived by four nephews, Jeffrey Scott Powell, Alan Parry Martin, James Logan Martin and Charles Kirk Parry, II, and their wives and families. Three cousins survive, Jack Hornor, David Hornor and Pamela Hornor. A memorial service will be held on Friday, December 17, at 7 P.M. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 7579 Sandy Bottom Road, Chestertown, MD. A dessert reception will follow the service at the Rock Hall Yacht Club, 22759 McKinleyville Road, Rock Hall, MD. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Parry said before his death that he would prefer donations to the RHYC Sailing School, P.O. Box 163, Chestertown, MD 21620. The sailing school is a 501 (c) 3 organization, and all contributions are tax-deductible.

Charles Parry

February 19, 1936 - December 3, 2010