Charles Yonge Wrigley

1935 - 2022

Charles Yonge Wrigley, 87, of Ijamsville, passed away Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, at Kline Hospice House of Mt Airy, MD. Husband of 32 years of the late Mary Grace Wrigley. Born September 27, 1935, in Bronxville, NY., to Paul Pickering Wrigley and Marjorie Yonge and older brother, the late Robert Wrigley.

As a young man, he attended Millbrook School and then the prestigious Williams College. In 1957, he graduated with a Masters in Physics and a Bachelors in Art. While at Williams, he was production director for WMS, the college radio station.

Charles worked at Sprague Electronics from 1957-1962 and then Rockwell from 1963-1972 where he worked on integrated chips for the Minuteman missiles. He then joined Solarex, where he helped pioneer the harnessing of solar energy. In 1988 he became VP of Quantex and later president. Next, he founded Lumitek in 1997 where he worked until his passing.

In 1966 Charles and Joseph Lindmayer co-authored the book "Fundamentals of Semiconductor Devices". He also published many patents and articles. Among these were research works including: Integrated Spatial Light Modulator. Charles can be found to have a hand in many world changing, society enhancing, fundamental technologies that we possess today...

In 1961 he married Katherine Jean Winch in Williamstown, MA. They had one daughter, Carolyn Chapin Wrigley, in 1964 and then moved to CA in 1966. They divorced in 1971. In 1973 he married Mary Grace (mother of 3 children) and eventually moved to MD.

In his spare time he enjoyed spending time with family, visiting the Sacramento Jazz Festival (yearly), and traveling the world with Mary.

He is survived by four children, Carolyn Wrigley of Sacramento, CA., Michael Pelczynski of Placerville, CA., John Pelczynski of Locust Grove, GA., and Teresa Hoefs of Merrill, WI; six grandchildren, Mary Hoefs-Carroll, Nicholas Hoefs, Zebulon Pelczynski, Rozanna Pelczynski-Salmon, Grace Pelczynski, and Sgt. Lukas Blair; and 12 great grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Frederick County, 516 Trail Ave., P.O. Box 1799, Frederick, MD 21702.

Charles Yonge Wrigley