Charles H. Williams

Charles H. Williams, Ph.D.
Charles H. "Charlie" Williams, 90, of Dover, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully on October 11, 2025. He was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on November 13, 1934.
Charlie began his career working in commercial greenhouses and garden centers and proudly served in the U.S. Army before dedicating his life to horticultural education. In 1960, he joined the Cooperative Extension Service in Chemung County, New York, where he developed some of the first ornamental horticulture programs in the region. His work expanded to serve multiple counties, and his leadership helped shape early efforts in grower trials, public education, and media outreach.
He later served as a regional specialist for Cornell University and earned his master's degree at Michigan State University. In 1969, Charlie and his family moved to New Hampshire, where he spent 29 years as the State Extension Specialist in ornamental horticulture with University of New Hampshire and earned his Doctorate in Plant Science.
In 1975, Charlie convinced the City of Portsmouth to allow UNH to move its All-American Selections Program trial gardens to Prescott Park, establishing what would become the Prescott Park Trial Gardens. The gardens showcase a wide variety of ornamental plants and continue to be maintained today by the city's Parks & Greenery Division. Over the course of his career, he became a trusted leader in the state's greenhouse and nursery industry, introducing new growing practices, supporting conservation and landscape initiatives, and helping shape the region's horticultural community as the host of The Garden Show on NHPBS Channel 11 for seven years.
Charlie was an educator at heart. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge about everything from flower arranging to wild turkeys and especially enjoyed teaching wildlife conservation to the younger generations. He was instrumental in founding the New England Greenhouse Conference, created the first Horticulture Therapy program in New Hampshire, worked closely with industry associations, and was well known for his practical approach to education and outreach.
Outside of horticulture, Charlie was an avid outdoorsman who devoted countless hours to conservation work with organizations such as the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), New Hampshire Wildlife Federation, Major Waldron Sportsmen's Association, and New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. In 2025, he was honored as New Hampshire's inductee into the New England Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame, recognized for his leadership as Past President of the state chapter and his decades of conservation work in the field and in schools.
Charlie had a great sense of humor and a well-earned reputation as a practical joker. Though a committed hunter, he liked to joke that his conservation ethic was demonstrated by the number of unfilled deer and turkey tags. As he often said, "That's why they call it hunting and not harvesting."
He is survived by his children, Charles B. Williams and his wife, Deborah Williams, of Kittery, Maine; Stephanie Retrosi and her husband, Anthony Retrosi, of Dover, New Hampshire; and Gregory Williams and his wife, Carol Main, of Dover, New Hampshire; and grandchildren Annie, Quinn, and Ella Williams; Maddie and Chase Retrosi; Kira Williams, Jack and Mason Main, and Alisha Golodner.
Charlie is also survived by his sisters, Darlene LeFevre and LeAnne Fraley, and his brother, Robert Williams, all of Pennsylvania. He was predeceased by his sister, Marilyn Reinhard.
A private burial service will be held at Durham Cemetery. A Celebration of Life is planned for Saturday, November 8th, 12:30pm - 3:30pm at Tideline Public House, 15 Newmarket Road Durham, NH 03824. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation, End 68 Hours of Hunger, or the charity of your choice.
To sign the online guestbook, please go to www.purdyfuneralservice.com.