Charles R. Myers III

MYERS III, CHARLES R. 85 - (2/11/24 - 8/7/09) of Pittsford, NY, died peacefully Friday, August 7, 2009 at Rochester General Hospital due to complications from prostate cancer. Charles, who was known to most as Chuck, was born to Charles R. Myers II and Myrtle (Kress) Myers in Passaic on February 11, 1924, and was a descendent of the Myers family that had built, owned and operated the Chelsea Hotel and the Breakers Hotel on the boardwalk starting in the 1890s, as well as other enterprises including the Myers Union Market. He attended Haddonfield Memorial High School, Class of 1941, and graduated from Duke University with an Electrical Engineering degree in 1944 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Following graduation, he returned to New Jersey to work for RCA and RCA Service Company. His work at RCA put him on the cutting edge of government technology usage. He installed the first radar system on Truman's presidential plane, the Independence, and developed ice detection technology at Point Barrow, Alaska. He placed the first television antenna on the Empire State Building, and engineered the television recording system for NASA's Ranger seven, eight and nine missions. His first day on the job at RCA Service Company, he met his future wife, Rita Belamarich, the secretary who would type his reports from Alaska; they married in 1952. In 1965, Chuck's career took him and his family to Rochester, New York, where he worked at Kodak's Research Lab. While in Rochester, he was active with the Boy Scouts as a senior leader. Chuck retired in 1989, and traveled extensively with Rita, visiting places such as Germany, Russia, China, Egypt and Thailand. Chuck is survived by his wife, Rita; his brother, Daniel W. Myers II of Harvey Cedars and Cherry Hill; his children, Charles R. (Ann) Myers IV of Los Gatos, California, and Lisa (James) Hand of Brighton, New York; and his grandchildren, Peter and Claire Myers and Taryn Hand. He is preceded in death by his sister, Gretchen Barstar Reid. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, August 22, at 10 a.m. at Reformation Lutheran Church in Rochester. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pluta Cancer Center of Rochester. Arrangements by Anthony Funeral Chapel, Rochester, NY, 585-244-0770.