J. Charles Humphreys III

Charles Humphreys died Saturday morning, March 18th, at Chester River Hospital; he was 92. Mr. Humphreys was born in 1913 in Ning Yuenfu, China, near the border of Tibet, where his father was serving as a medical missionary. The family returned to the US permanently in 1927. While in China, Mr. Humphreys received his education through the Calvert School and the Canadian School in Chengtu. Upon his return to this country he attended Germantown High School in Philadelphia and was a member of the class of 1935 at Penn State University where he majored in industrial engineering. Following college he worked briefly for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, then for several years at the Budd Company in their rail car division which manufactured the passenger rail cars used on trains such as the Burlington Zephyr and Super Chief. In 1939 Mr. Humphreys joined Day & Zimmermann Inc., an engineering consulting firm in Philadelphia where he remained until his retirement in 1977 as Vice President of Consulting Services. During World War II he was the manager of the Cressona Ordnance Division where he had full responsibility for activating, organizing and operating a plant with 3,000 employees. The highlight of his years there was the receipt, reclamation and redistribution of chains desperately needed for General Patton’s tank command during the pivotal Battle of the Bulge, accomplished under unimaginable time constraints. He was am ardent lover of camping, fresh water fishing and upland game hunting. He was also an exceptional craftsman in many materials, and even made tools for his wife while she studied silversmithing. He remained to the end a faithful, and frequently disappointed, Phillies fan. Mr. Humphreys, with his wife Adaline, moved to Chestertown in 1977 where he became active in many local events including the Tea Party Festival and the Downtown Business Association. He and his wife became members of the Gallery 5 were his work in iron, bronze and silver were displayed and sold. They were also charter members of the Presbyterian Church of Chestertown. Mr. Humphreys leaves Adaline, his wife of 69 years, two sons; John of Bethel, Ohio and Peter of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, grandchildren Carolyn, John, Victor and five great grandchildren. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 28th at the Presbyterian Church of Chestertown. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Chester River Hospital Center, 100 Brown Street, Chestertown, Maryland 21620.

J. Charles Humphreys III

March 18, 2006