Charles Webb

designer and woodworker, of Cambridge died peacefully at home on March 14, 2019 at the age of 90. Charles was born in Harrisburg, PA in 1928 to Harry Clyde Webb and Henrietta Geety Webb.After graduating from high school in 1947, Charles enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Alaska and worked in radio operations. He was awarded the World War II Medal of Victory for his service. After his military service Charles studied architecture and design at Cornell University and graduated from a six-year program with a degree in Architecture in 1955.Charles worked as an architect for several years in Minneapolis, Chicago and Cambridge. He left architecture in the late 50s to devote his talents completely to designing and making furniture from wood. He began at the League of Arts and Crafts in Concord, New Hampshire. Later he opened a shop in Cambridge on Walden Street. In 1960 Charles entered a bunkbed in a Boston Commons craft show; the bunkbed won an award and established him as a designer and maker of well-designed and well-made contemporary furniture.From Walden Street Charles moved his workshop to a large industrial building on Thorndike Street in East Cambridge; he was at that location for more than several decades and employed master craftsmen from the Azores, Italy and the Caribbean to construct his designs. He established himself as a designer, maker and seller of his furniture. The last location for his workshop was on McGrath Highway in Somerville.He had two stores in Harvard Square; the first was on Palmer and Church Streets in the 70s; the second was at 6 Story Street in the 80s.Charles served on the Board of the Longy School of Music for over ten years. In addition to his passion for classical music, he was a jazz enthusiast who loved hearing live jazz players, as well as listening to the show the Jazz Decades on public radio.He was passionate about architecture and good design and loved art. In his soul he was an artist.An expert canoer from paddling days on the Susquehanna River and an avid sailor, Charles kept his Nonsuch sailboat first in Marion, MA and then in Bass Harbor and later Rockland, Maine.Charles is survived by his wife of 52 years, Frances Trumbull Webb, their son Jonathan T. Little of Seattle, WA, their daughter Pamela T. Mearsheimer and her husband John Mearsheimer of Chicago, IL, their daughter Liz Webb Green and her husband Jeffrey Green of Needham, MA and seven grandchildren: Steven and his wife Edan and Steven’s sister, Caroline Little, Julia and David Mearsheimer, Emma, Jay and Joshua Green. Charles and Frances have three step grandchildren; Ann and her husband Ben Laetz, Max and his wife Amanda Mearsheimer and Nicholas Mearsheimer. They have three step great grandchildren Avery, Evan and Eli Laetz.Memorial Services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Longy School of Music of Bard College, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA. www.longy.edu. http://www.lastingmemories.com/charles-webb-2