Charles William Stevens

1937 - 2015

HANCOCK - Charles William Stevens, 78, of Hancock died peacefully on Oct. 18, 2015 at Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough with his wife Marsha Kono at his side. His children, Kirsten Venghaus of Statham, Ga. Alexander Stevens of Portland, Ore. and Samuel Stevens of Sonvilier, Switzerland were at his bedside during his final hours.

Charles was born in Boston on Jun. 24, 1937, the son of Harold and Florence (Butchman) Stevens, and grew up in Winchester, Mass. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1963, following a period of military service. From 1957 to 1960 Charles attended Army Language School for Russian and served with Army Intelligence in Berlin. He was recalled to active duty during the Berlin Wall crisis.

After a brief stint in banking, Charles embarked on a career in advertising. As copy writer and account executive/creative director for Rumrill Hoyt Advertising in Rochester, N.Y. Creamer Trowbridge Case & Basford in Providence, R.I. and Maher Pastor & Stevens in Hartford, Conn. he found ample opportunity to express his creativity, love of language and wry sense of humor.

Always an athlete, Charlie played basketball at Winchester High School, skied for Dartmouth, loved beaches, hiking, camping, kayaking and all things to do with the out-of-doors. He worked several years for Clapp & Treat sports outfitters in Hartford, Conn. then part-time for Eastern Mountain Sports when he and Marsha retired to New Hampshire in 1994.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his sister, Lynne her husband, George Chase and their family, his daughter, Kirsten and her husband, Ken Venghaus, son, Alexander and his wife, Shelley Stevens and son, Samuel and his wife, Melanie Walliser Stevens as well as five cherished grandchildren - Oskar, Des, Max, Merlin and Gabi.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016 at 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Hancock.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson's Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, c/o Hitchcock Foundation, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, N.H. 03756 or Monadnock Community Hospital, Office of Philanthropy, 452 Old Street Road, Peterborough, N.H. 03458.

Jellison Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the family with arrangements. To view an online obituary or to leave the family a condolence, please visit www.jellisonfuneralhome.com.