Charles G. Kalt
1922-2012 WILLIAMSTOWN Charles Kalt, 90, of Williamstown, died Wednesday, November 14, 2012.
He was born to the late Harold and Helen Kalt, January 1, 1922, in Pelham, N.Y. Charles attended the Hill School and graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1950, after serving in the US Army Signal Corps during World War II. He married the late Nadine Nichols in 1951. They moved to Williamstown in 1963.
Charles was a creative electrical engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur. He worked at Sprague Electric Co. from 1963 until 1968, after which he was involved in several startups. In 1972 he founded a company to develop his inventions in the field of electrostatics. Eventually that company became Display Science Inc. of North Adams, which researched and manufactured flat-panel display devices. He was listed as inventor on more than two dozen US patents, as well as several international patents. He also served as president of the Electrostatics Society of America, 1985-89, and was a Life Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
He was a lay leader at St. John's Episcopal Church, Williamstown, and St. Andrew's, Blackinton. He and his wife enjoyed hosting numerous college students and international visitors in their home over many years.
Charles is survived by four children: Judy Skeels (Richard) of Swanzey, N.H., Tom Kalt (Ellen) of Shutesbury, Mass., Sue Kalt (Josh Rosen) of Boston and Andy Kalt (Sandy Sherwin) of San Francisco. He leaves five grandchildren, Allison Perry (Mitchell), Steven and Matthew Kalt, Sylvie and Jacob Rosenkalt, and two great-grandchildren, Julia and Kimberly Perry.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to Williamstown Commons Unit 3, 25 Adams Rd. Williamstown, MA 01267, where Charles received extraordinary care in his last years of life, or to St. John's Episcopal Church, 35 Park St. Williamstown, MA 01267.
A memorial service and luncheon reception will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 12 at St. John's Church in Williamstown.
Published in The Berkshire Eagle on November 17, 2012
