Charles A. Schelts

Charles A. Schelts of Church Hill, MD, died at the Queen Anne’s Hospice Center, Centreville, MD, on Thursday, October 20, 2011. He was 86. Born September 6, 1925, in Chesterville, MD, he was the son of the late, Bulie Kenneth and Margaret O’Neal Schelts. He was a graduate of Galena High School, Galena, MD. In 1948 at the age of 23, he began his career with Church Hill Lumber Company. He started working as a carpenter's helper, and in three years he became a carpenter. He split his time for five years, working as a carpenter by day and an architectural draftsman by night. In 1957, he was named as secretary on the Board of Directors. In 1972, he and his wife, Betty, bought out the shares of the company making him the sole owner. The company has built more than 5,000 homes in Queen Anne’s and Kent counties since 1933. At one time the business had six seven-man crews. Projects the lumber company built include the Galena Community Hall, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church Meeting Hall, Church Hill Fire Dept., Sudlersville Bank, an addition of the Church Hill Bank and the housing development Chester Harbor and Harbor View. Charles gave a lot of time to the community as well. He served as secretary/treasurer of the Church Hill Lions Club from 1981-1995, he was on the Board of Directors for Chestertown Bank, also a member of the Queen Anne’s County School Board from 1971-1981, the Chesapeake College Board of Governors. He has also served on the Economic Development Board, the Masonic Lodge 180 in Centreville, president of the Association of Builders and Contractors from 1971-1972, a lifetime member of the Church Hill Volunteer Fire Dept as well as past lay leader of the Church Hill United Methodist Church, a member of the Queen Anne’s County Historical Society, a Magnolia Hall Board Member, one of the first Board Members for Queen Anne’s County Hospice, Centreville Chapter #69,Order of the Eastern Star, Worthy Patron five times; Queen Anne’s County Ethics Board member, and Treasurer of the Historical Society. In addition to his wife, Margaret Elizabeth Turner Schelts of 67 years, he is survived by three daughters, Carol Bennett, Sandi Sheahen and her husband, Edward, and Debbie Bitter and her husband, Henry; a son, Lawrence Schelts and his wife, Toni; brothers, William Earl Schelts and the late B. Kenneth Schelts, Jr.; grandchildren, Judy Solverson, Amy McCauley, Erica Wendler, Morgan Baker, David Baker, Lauren Abbott; great grandchildren, Crystal Alford, Jason Solverson, Ashley Solverson, Corin McCauley, Logan McCauley, Bobby Wendler, Anton Wendler and Evan Wendler. Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 24, 2011, at the Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., Centreville, MD at 11 a.m. Friends and family may call at the funeral home on Sunday, October 23, 2011, from 4 – 6 p.m. where a Masonic Service will be held at 5:30. Interment will be at Church Hill Cemetery, Church Hill, MD. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Queen Anne’s Inc., 255 Comet Drive, Centreville, MD 21617 or the Church Hill Volunteer Fire Company, 316 Main Street Church Hill, MD 21623.

Charles A. Schelts

September 6, 1925 - October 20, 2011