Charles B. Loos of Keene died on November 20, 2020, while a resident of Prospect Woodward Healthcare Center, an extension of Hillside Village on Wyman Road in Keene.
He was born on August 13, 1930, at Elliot Community Hospital in Keene, the son of Leon W. Loos and Beulah E, (Davey) Loos.
He leaves his wife Carolyn (Walton) Loos, with whom he enjoyed over 66 years of marriage, and children Jeffrey C. Loos of Keene, Nancy P. (Loos)Lane and husband, William J. Lane of Colorado, James A. Loos and wife Lisa (Wojchick) Loos of Andover, MA and Steven W. Loos and companion Jennifer O’Reilly of Dover NH. Also grandchildren Emily C. Lane and William B. Lane both of Colorado, Alicia (Loos) Paul and husband, Derek Paul of Rowley, MA, Teresa M. Loos and companion Adam Long of Henniker, NH, Olivia T. Loos and companion Steven Hamilton of Newmarket, NH, Adam S, Loos of Seabrook, NH and Anna C. Loos of Barrington, NH as well as several nieces and nephews. Both his brother, Leon E. Loos, and sister, Eleanor (Loos) Berthiaume, predeceased him.
Charlie attended Wheelock Elementary School, Keene Junior High School, and graduated from Keene High School in 1948. He earned a BA in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, class of 1952. While at UNH he was a member of both Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and the Reserve Officers Training Corp (ROTC). Upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant and reached the rank of Captain in the Air Force Reserve when he was honorably discharged in 1967.
He worked at Kingsbury Machine Tool Corporation for 37 years, serving many years as manager of the Controls Division. In addition to directing personnel he contributed to the design and construction of large machines, often used to manufacture automobile parts or other industrial parts for customers around the country and overseas. His duties included traveling to customer plants to facilitate machine set-up and to troubleshoot and resolve problems.
Following retirement from Kingsbury in 1990, in his usual quiet way, he started to volunteer. He served on the Board of Directors at the Woodward Home on Court Street and also as a board member of The Cheshire Medical Center. He began with volunteering at the hospital, where he managed the LifeLine program (a telephone security system sponsored by TCMC for shut-ins, many of whom were elderly, living alone and/or at risk). He traveled throughout Cheshire County installing and explaining the use of the system and would habitually clean and repair used equipment.
In 2006 he received the Joseph D. Vaughan Award from New Hampshire Governor John Lynch in recognition of 20+ years of “Outstanding leadership and meritorious achievement on behalf of the older citizens of New Hampshire.”
Charlie loved to sing. In his younger days he played the ukulele and sang, often with his friend Dick Rousseau, entertaining themselves and any passers-by. In high school, he sang in the choir and became interested in barbershop harmony. He sang with impromptu quartets, and enjoyed “ringing the chord’ the ultimate in barbershop’s close harmony which relies upon the lead singer staying on pitch. Charlie was a lead singer and could be depended upon. When he joined the local chapter of The
Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, a new quartet was formed consisting of Charlie and his brother Leon (tenor), Jim Brew (bass) and Bill Prentiss (baritone). They named themselves Two Brothers and Two Others and sang at annual concerts, at the hospital to cheer patients, and upon request for Valentines’ Day, birthdays, and other special occasions.
Charlie was a giver. He was steady and strong, productive, generous, and loving. He was a kind and supportive presence with his children and was much loved by all in his family. You could depend on him, and many did for most of the ninety years of his life.
All services are under the care of Cheshire Family Funeral Chapel and Crematories. 44 Maple Ave. Keene, NH. 03431. WWW.cheshirefamilyfh.com
