Charles H. F. Storrow

1925 - 2017

MYSTIC, CT - Charlie Storrow, a World War II veteran, whose love of the sea led to a life sailing the New England coast, designing submarines, and crafting model boats, died on January 3, 2017 in Mystic, Connecticut. He was 91.
The son of Cornelia Robbins Storrow (Fiske) and Thomas Wentworth Storrow, and brother of Anne Appleton Wyatt, Charles Henry Fiske Storrow was born in Boston, MA in 1925 and lived in Chestnut Hill and Nahant. While attending the Pomfret School in Pomfret, CT, he was drafted into the US Army and served from 1943 to 1945. Charlie was a forward observer in the field Artillery Corps during the Leyte and Luzon campaigns during the battle of the Philippines.
After the war, Charlie completed his studies at Harvard University, AB, 1949, and Harvard Graduate School of Design, Master of Architecture, 1953. After college he went to work for Skidmore Owings & Merrill in New York City and then Wilson Morris & Crain Architects in Houston, TX. From 1957 to 1970, he was an engineer for General Dynamics/Electric Boat Division in Groton, CT on the team designing nuclear submarines. During the later part of his career he was a land use planner at the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Planning Agency in Norwich, CT.
Charlie married his beloved wife, Alisa Littell Brown in 1978. Previous marriages, which ended in divorce, were to Margaret C. Hubbard in 1953 and Anne M. Reed in 1962. For many years Charlie lived in the Borough of Stonington, CT, where he designed his residence, an unobtrusive, passive solar house that fit the historical neighborhood. Charlie spent countless hours serving the community, chairing both the Borough's Planning and Zoning Commission and the Stonington Harbor Management Commission.
Charlie had a passion for sailing and took his family on many adventurous cruises along the New England coast. He could identify other sailboats by make and owner when barely visible on the horizon. Few things, including age, could keep Charlie from the helm. While racing a JY-15 day sailor in his 80s, he capsized, and found himself bobbing in the water under the cockpit.
A student of nautical history, his passion for sailing was matched by a penchant for woodworking and boat building. Charlie built a number of museum-quality scale models of historical sailing vessels that could be sailed in their own right. He also donated a 19' gunning dory to the Mystic Seaport that he built in his garage.
He was a quiet, gentle man, with a mischievous sense of humor, who displayed his love for family in carefully crafted gifts; a ubiquitous presence at graduations, weddings and major life events; and calm and level-headed counsel.
Charlie is survived by his wife, Alisa Storrow (Littell), five children, Margaret T. Storrow of Indianapolis, IN, Thomas W. Storrow of Gill, MA, Charles F. Storrow of Calais, VT, Amy L. Storrow of Washington, DC, and John K. Storrow of Boston, MA and five grandchildren, Benjamin W. Storrow, Andrew C. Storrow, Charles R. Storrow, Ashley M. Storrow, and Beatrice M. Graf, along with two stepsons, Anthony Brown of Brownville, ME, and JC Brown of Bosque Farms, N.M.
Memorial donations may be made to the Mystic Seaport, P.O. Box 6000, Mystic, CT 06355-0990.