Charles Perhamus, age 78, of Middletown, Rhode Island, passed away surrounded by his loving family on February 19, 2021.
Charles “Harlow” was born in Rochester, NY to Charles and Catherine (MacLarty) Perhamus and grew up in Caledonia, NY. He graduated from Caledonia-Mumford Central High School in 1960 and went on to earn his B.S. in Electrical Engineering on a band scholarship from Michigan State University in 1964. His career in the defense industry began as a field engineer traveling to Hawaii, Europe and Asia aboard the USS Observation and Compass Island. While working for Sperry Univac he met his wife Donna Conron of Uniondale, NY on his 26th birthday and they were married six months later on December 21, 1968. Their early married years took them to Virginia Beach and Cape Canaveral to work on the first moon landing. A new job at Litton Industries brought them to Van Nuys, California and then to Pascagoula, Mississippi for the building of the first LHA ship at Ingalls Shipyard. The desire to raise their children closer to family brought them to Middletown, RI with Computer Science Corporation until it closed its Middletown office and Chuck was employed with General Dynamics.
Chuck joined the Newport Community Band (Salve Regina) in 1980 where he rekindled his passion for playing the trumpet. He was an avid music lover and looked forward to attending the Newport Jazz Festival every year. He was also a member of the Lafayette Band in North Kingstown and ROMPS of Wakefield, RI. He was a past president of Middletown Little League and if he wasn’t helping to coach his children’s teams, he could be found cheering them on from the sidelines. He was a loving husband, father and friend who insisted on addressing everyone by their first name. He loved music, parties, the beach and being with his family most. He was always at the ready to pick up his children and their friends from downtown Newport and loved the flurry of activity and energy they brought into his home. We will miss this loving, sweet music man that always brought laughs and one liners into our lives.
Chuck is survived by his wife Donna Perhamus, his son Kevin Perhamus and his wife, Kristen, his daughter Stacey Perhamus Hughes and her husband James; his grandchildren Kaylie Perhamus and Braeden, Camryn and Nolan Hughes.
He is also survived by his siblings Karen McQuilken, Frank Perhamus, and Robert Perhamus. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Catherine Perhamus, and his brother, John Perhamus.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Association or the Hydrocephalus Association.
