Charles F. Thomae

Charlie Thomae passed from this life in

the early morning hours of April 30th, 2019. He was 87

years old.

His death marked the end of a long battle with Parkinson's

Disease. Throughout its trials, he never paused to

despair, maintaining the cheerful, engaging personality he

was known for while focusing on the sources of his greatest

joys: His family, his community, and his many spectacular

projects.



He was born Charles Frank Thomae in Attleboro on March 17th, 1932

to a family of tool makers and artisans. He was the second

child and only son of Charles Gustav Thomae, a Silversmith

and Attleboro's Fire Commissioner, and Elsa Matilda Thomae (nee

Jepson), a nurse and Swedish immigrant.



He had a happy childhood and a youth that presaged the life of

service that would follow. A graduate of Attleboro High

School, he studied engineering at Wentworth and served in

the U.S. Naval Reserve before joining the family silversmith

business, Charles Thomae & Son, on Maynard Street in

Attleboro. A lifelong patron of the Boy Scouts of America,

he beamed when each of his four grandsons earned the rank of

Eagle Scout. In 1955 he joined the Norton Fire Department,

where he served as a volunteer firefighter for over 50

years. Rising to the rank of Captain, he designed and

oversaw the installation of the town's municipal fire

alarm system as Superintendent of Alarms. The rigors of

firefighting, coming to aid those in crisis, and the

comradery it brought gave him immense satisfaction and

happiness.



While still in grade school he met Diane Lees, whose family ran

the local chapter of the MSPCA. They married on July 17th,

1954 and moved to Norton, where they built a home and

maintained a small farm on Oak Street. Two daughters,

Leesa and Suzanne soon followed.

Charles and Diane instilled a love for animals in their

daughters, raising sheep and horses for show in 4-H

competitions. Their dogs were particularly cherished; they

raised numerous Keeshonds, always steadfastly loyal and

impeccably groomed. Later, their granddaughter Alexandra's career

in veterinary medicine was a source of particular pride.



In 1956 the couple constructed a house in Wellfleet, Cape Cod.

The home on Indian Neck served as the center of the couple's

active social life for decades. Diane kept house through

the week. Charlie arrived on weekends, in later years

with grandchildren in tow, piled into a fire engine red Ford

pickup to share the boating and beaches he so enjoyed.



He assumed control of Charles Thomae & Son

in 1982. A gifted tool maker, he maintained the

company's singular focus on beautiful, heirloom quality

goods in sterling silver. It was an American

manufacturer in the best sense. Those that worked at the

factory tended to stay for decades, becoming something

closer to family than employees. Their dedication and

the pride they took in their craft meant the world to him.



And Charlie's world was always under

construction. The arc of his life could be traced as a

series of projects. They were often practical,

sometimes peculiar, but always ambitious. As a young

man he purchased a decommissioned hearse, chopped the top

off, and used it to pick up Diane on their first date.

A windmill was erected on the farm. An elevator was

installed at the factory. Engines were swapped, diesel

always replacing gasoline. A forty-foot trawler's hull

was cut in half to add three feet of deck space.

Possessed with a near boundless energy and often

single-minded focus, his efforts enveloped anyone

nearby. His wife, his colleagues, his daughters and

their husbands, his grandchildren and their friends; all

were enlisted to the cause. He constructed a full

size, functioning helicopter from a mail order kit,

modifying the design as he saw fit. Diane, her small

stature more conducive to take off, served as its

pilot. When cranberries growing on the farm were found

to be a unique variety, Charlie patented the fruit, giving

it the name Gustav after his grandfather. A large earth

moving and irrigation project ensued to create a bog so that

the berries could be cultivated. His completed every

job he started, but none were ever truly finished. A

bow thruster was added to the trawler; a stronger water pump

added to the cranberry bog. The adjustments were

endless. It was always about the process.



Age and Parkinson's could not staunch his ambition. Only a few

years ago, he converted the bare hull of a salvaged Navy

transport into a working steamboat, powered by a boiler

intended for a train. Friends, family, and curious

onlookers gathered in Wellfleet Harbor to witness its maiden

voyage. None could mistake the look of pride on his

face.



He was frustrated by the inevitable results of his condition.

It robbed him of the work he loved most. And Diane's

passing in July 2015 left him heartbroken. But he

always brightened at the sight of family, and the many

friends who visited and called in recent months. Your

care gave him strength and great happiness.





Charlie is predeceased by his parents, his sister Mildred and her husband

Jarvis, and his beloved Diane. He survived by his

daughters Leesa and Suzanne, and their husbands, Steven F. Crogan and Ross J. Forbes, all of Norton, as well as five

grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.



He was slow to anger and quick to smile. He was kind and generous to

a fault. He is and will forever be deeply missed.





His funeral service, to which relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend, will be held on Wednesday, May 8th at 10:00 A.M. at the Norton Memorial Funeral Home, 19 Clapp St. (Off Route 140, Taunton Ave.) Norton. Burial will follow at the Norton Common Cemetery in Norton.





Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, May 7th from 5:00-8:00 P.M. at the Norton Memorial Funeral Home.



In lieu of flowers, donations in Charlie's memory may be made to the Norton Ambulance Gift Fund, 70 East Main St., Norton, MA 02766.



To send his family a message of condolence, please visit www.nortonmemorial.com