Charles Waddington Harris
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Charles Waddington Harris, an eclectic world citizen, omnivorous reader of history, and master beekeeper in his bounteous Amissville backyard, passed away Sunday (Aug. 22) after a bout with non-COVID pneumonia. He was 81.
He was born Oct. 17, 1939 in Manilla, The Philippines, to the late Charles E. Harris and Louise Helen Waddington.
Charles is survived by three children: Son Oliver, of Bethesda, Md., and daughters Selina Millstam, Stockholm, Sweden; and Emily Harris, Sperryville, Va. Grandchildren include Wren and Alexa Harris, Matilda and Henrik Millstam.
Charles is also survived by two younger brothers, Tom (Ocala, Fla.) and Geoff (Holiday, Fla.), their wives, children, and grandchildren. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Susanne Vibeke Olrog.
Charles had an interesting upbringing having been born in Manilla. He, his parents and brother were held as civilian POWs on the grounds of the walled Santo Tomas University following the Dec, 7, 1941, Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor and elsewhere around the Pacific Rim. After liberation from the camp in 1945, his family returned to the United States, and he grew up all over Latin America, living in Venezuela, Mexico, and Puerto Rico before going to Taft boarding school in Connecticut. While in Mexico, Charles achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. After high school, he attended William and Mary College and graduated with a degree in Physics. Feeling the call to serve, Charles joined the Navy and was a supply officer in the Vietnam War. After military service he attended Thunderbird School of Global Management where he received his MBA and later, continued PhD studies at New York University which he was unable to complete after starting a family.
It was during his travels he met his future Swedish wife, Susanne, on a crowded night ferry between France and England after meeting and chatting with her brother, who then invited Charles to join their group. The couple initially settled in New York City before moving to Connecticut to raise their family.
Charles' passion for sailing, yard work, reading, and never-ending thirst for knowledge was part of what contributed to his being a well-known character in the community.
Charles had a career in securities analyzing stocks on wall street and making recommendations. He retired to Rappahannock County a few years after his wife passed. Since 2004 he had explored a variety of new interests: He helped repopulate the American Chestnut tree, was a beekeeper (and helped make queens), and passionately quested to grow the "most wonderful blueberry." He loved to read and analyze books and ideas, and was a valued member of a book group at Trinity Episcopal Church. He enjoyed talking to people and meeting new friends. He especially enjoyed being part of the Sunday Porch Group that met at various locations around the county and attending the farm & orchard tours organized by the Rappahannock County Coop office.
He was a unique figure in our community and will be missed by many.
A memorial service was held Tuesday, Aug. 31 at Trinity Episcopal in Washington, Va.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Friends of the Rappahannock County Library, PO Box 55, Washington VA 22747, https://rappahannocklibrary.org/friends-of-the-library/ or to VCE- Rappahannock Office. Please make checks out to "Treasurer of VT" and add "ANR programming" in the memo line and mail to P.O. Box 119, Washington, Va., 22747