Charles Seward Sheldon, 65, of Millsfield, NH died peacefully at home on August 16 from a
short battle with lung cancer. He was born and raised in Concord, Massachusetts, and lived at Middlesex School with his family, where his father was Headmaster. He attended high school at East Hill Farm in Chester, Vermont, where his education was a combination of academics and farming. As a youth,
Charles loved to spend his summers at the beach surfing, fishing, sailing, and swimming. When
not on or in the water he played the guitar and took many pictures. He was also an avid skier,
an activity he carried into adulthood. After graduating high school, Charles went to Arizona
where he learned, as he liked to say, "how to be a cowboy" at a working ranch. There he loved
riding horses and roping cattle in the wild and shipping them out. He later returned home to
Concord where he worked at the Belknap House, a nursing home where he met his future wife,
Sonja. They married on June 21, 1987. Charles always joked that it was the longest day of his
life just to get a funny look from people and then say...it was the summer solstice.
Charles and Sonja moved up to Colebrook, bought land, built a home, and in 1991 opened a
bed and breakfast: Rooms With a View. Charles worked at the Balsams and then 28 years at
the County Hospital in Stewartstown. In 2004, when the Red Sox won the World Series, they
moved to Millsfield and in 2005 built and opened their second bed and breakfast: A Peace of
Heaven. His free time was enjoyed mostly by being outdoors and splitting wood, feeding the
birds, watching wildlife, visiting with family and friends, and caring for their new home. Charles
was also a moderator for many years for the town of Millsfield and retired in 2024.
Charles is survived by his two brothers James (Jennie) Sheldon of Washington State, and Fred
Sheldon (Donna) of Nashua, his nephew Tyler Sheldon and niece Jessie Sheldon. He also leaves
behind aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents David and Judith
Sheldon.
Anyone who knew Charlie was always entertained by his quick wit and positive happy-go-lucky
attitude. During the past year and a half, he was a devoted caregiver for his wife, giving up
some quantity of his life in exchange for quality of life to care for and spend time with Sonja
who also died peacefully at home on April 14, 2025.
The funeral service for Charles and Sonja will be held at the First Church of Errol Congregation
on Friday, September 19 at 11 AM followed by a burial in the Errol Cemetery. Donations can be made to Two Rivers Relief for Cancer in lieu of flowers. The Bryant Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Online guestbook at
www.bryantfuneralhome.net.
Published by Union Leader on Aug. 20, 2025.