Charles M. Seward

Charles “Charlie” Marcus Seward passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, just two days shy of his 94th birthday. 

Born in Melrose, MA to Evelyn Margaret (Ide) Seward and Carroll Gustine Seward on June 6, 1930, Charlie was predeceased by his sister, Marcia Seward Knight, and brother, Samuel Livingston Seward.

When Charlie was 16, his family moved from Melrose to East Dennis, MA, where he met and dated Beverly Holmes, the love of his life, through high school and while he attended Colgate University. They were married August 22, 1952 and spent the next two years in Bitburg, Germany while Charlie served in the U.S. Air Force.

After Germany, they settled in South Yarmouth, MA, and eventually Acton, MA, where they raised their family and lived for forty-two years. Charlie was very active in the local community, including as president of the Minuteman Ridge Homeowners Association and as a deacon of the Acton Congregational Church.

A man of great integrity, both personally and professionally, Charlie began his career with Colonial Candle of Cape Cod. In 1954, he established his own business representing manufacturers of home décor and gifts. He built a successful business and lasting legacy by forming caring personal relationships with his customers, a tradition still carried on today by his children, Carol and Craig. 

Married for nearly seventy years, Charlie and Beverly were true partners in all aspects of life - complementary companions who traveled, golfed and played bridge together – until Bev’s passing in 2022. Charlie often said, “the most important thing in bridge, as in life, is your partner”, and he always felt he chose well.

There were many vacations abroad, but stories from summers at Cape Cod and Maine with family were retold the most. These trips often ended with boating adventures such as getting stuck in the fog, or deciding who would jump first into the ice-cold water. In the early 1990s, Charlie and Beverly built a house on Anguilla in the Caribbean to have a warm place to celebrate with family and friends during the winter months.

An accomplished high school athlete in football, track, and swimming, Charlie took a real shine to golf in his 20s. He especially enjoyed club and regional competitions but also appreciated playing with friends, Beverly, his children and his grandchildren. A day at The International, his beloved golf course, with his friends and family was cherished (except, maybe, when he didn’t play well). He remained an avid swimmer and swam laps as recently as this winter at Kendal, where he resided.

Charlie is survived by his five children: Cynthia Seward McWilliams (Rick) of Millbrook, NY; Charles Marcus "Marc" Seward, Jr. (Dawn) of Nashua, NH; Carol Seward Paltsios (Peter) of Westford, MA; Craig Holmes Seward (Stacey) of Newbury, MA; and Christine Seward (“Hanover Charlie” Arnold) of Hanover, NH.

A devoted reader and lifelong learner, Charlie had an unquenchable curiosity and an appetite for history. He was also a man of faith and found great comfort in his church communities wherever he lived, most recently at the First Church of Sterling in Sterling, MA and the First Baptist Church of Etna/First Congregational Church of Hanover Center in Etna, NH. 

He will be deeply missed by his ten grandchildren, to whom he was known as ‘Big Dad’: Trevor, Carly, Ryan (Kelly), Christopher, Charlie, Caitlyn, Maggie, Jon, Jackson, Charlotte and his two great-grandchildren, Cole and Lainey.

The family is eternally grateful to the staff at Kendal, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital and the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care. A special thank you to Jesse’s Restaurant for making his ‘Jesus and Jesse’s’ Sundays perfect (whether or not the New England Patriots won later in the day!).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the First Church of Sterling, P.O. Box 40, Sterling, MA 01564, or the First Baptist Church of Etna, P.O. Box 282, Etna, NH 03750.

A celebration of Charlie’s life is being planned for early July in Hanover, NH.