Charles D. Knowles II

Ormond Beach, Fl- Charles Delbert Knowles II, 85 formerly of York, ME, passed away after a battle with Pancreatic Cancer on August 29th 2023. 

Charlie was born on February 13, 1938 in Salem, MA.  He was the son of the late Winthrop and Evelyn Knowles.

He was a resident of York Maine for 29 years before moving to Ormond Beach, Fl. In 2001.

Charlie was a graduate of Holton High in Danvers MA in 1956.  He was in the Navy reserves for one year during 1960-1961.  He is the oldest of 4 siblings, 2 brothers and 2 sisters of which his brother Richard and he worked together as machinist, while working there Charlie won the logo contest for a Decon Product.  “You can fix it with Plastic Steel”.   It was a short time after that he then landed a career at the United States Postal Service in Portsmouth, NH where he was a mail carrier for just about 30 years until he retired.    

Charlie loved the warm temperatures and would often spend his winters in Florida and his summers camping at Long Lake campground in Bridgeton Maine with all of his family from the early 70’s before moving over to Keoka lake campground in Waterford, ME in 1994.   In the summer months Charlie loved taking his morning walks along the campground making sure to stop along the way to say hello to all his camping friends and neighbors.   In the winter he enjoyed walking on the beaches of Ormond and Daytona, the parks and along the fishing piers overlooking the water with his wife.  In 2016 he sold his camp and stayed in Ormond Beach where he got to enjoy the warm Florida sunshine year-round.   As he would often say, he lives in the Sunshine state.

Survivors include his wife Janice of 53 years.  Brothers Richard and David Knowles, Sisters Elizabeth and Sally and her husband Roger.  His daughter Bonnie Knowles of Salem, MA, Daughter Robin Derba and her husband Stephen of Haverhill, MA, Son Charles Knowles III and his wife Lisa of Lancaster, PA, Daughter Cheri LaFortune and her husband Daniel of Newmarket, NH, Son Mark Knowles and his wife Jennifer of South Berwick, ME and a Step daughter Carolyn Torrey and her significant other Jeffrey Pavia of Beverly, MA.  He also had 14 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren whom all loved him very much.

He is predeceased by a step-daughter Robin Sawyer of York, ME.

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