ELEANOR CHARLES

CHARLES--Eleanor. Longtime writer for The New York Times, and a former Broadway costume designer. The former Eleanor Goldsmith was born on January 15, 1923 to Solomon Lewis Goldsmith and Pearle Rebecca Stein Goldsmith. Growing up in Manhattan, she graduated from Syracuse University in 1943. Among her Broadway credits were the costumes for the original production of "Finian's Rainbow" in 1947. After marrying George Charles in 1947 she lived in New Rochelle, where she raised her children. After a number of years writing for Westchester newspapers she became a reporter and news director for WGCH in Greenwich. She started her association with The New York Times in 1976, writing news and features focusing on Connecticut, and also editing the calendar sections for the Connecticut Weekly and Westchester Weekly sections. She retired in 2006 to Kennebunk, ME, where her family had summered since 1917. She died there after a short illness on November 21st. She is survived by her son, David, who lives in France, his three children and three grandchildren; and by her daughter, Rebecca, who lives in Manhattan and is the chef and owner of Pearl Oyster Bar in Greenwich Village, named for Ellie's mother.