PLATTSBURGH — Charles Francis Belknap XIII of Plattsburgh, N.Y., died suddenly at home on Nov. 10th surrounded by his loving family. Charles was born in New York City on August 28, 1930, the son of Reginald and Mary Connolly Belknap.
He graduated from Boston English High School where he was on the track team. He earned a B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University in 1957. He was a Registered Professional Engineer. He served in the Korean War where he contracted polio. He was awarded the Combat Infantrymans Badge.
He was involved in age-group swimming for many years both as a coach and an official at the Fulton, N.Y., YMCA, and Canajoharie New York Swim Club. He was a long time member of the Plattsburgh YMCA.
He married Frances Collins Belknap on June 15, 1957 at St. Francis of Assisi church in Medford, Mass.
He worked as a project/process engineer for several companies including, National Carbon, Niagara Falls, N.Y., Nestle Chocolate Company, Fulton, N.Y., Beechnut, Canajoharie, N.Y., Abbott Laboratories, No. Chicago, Ill., Ayerst Laboratories, Rouses Point, N.Y., and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in Radnor, Pa. He also worked for a brief time as environmental coordinator in the Engineering Department at Plattsburgh Air Force Base.
He is survived by his beloved wife Frances; and two sons, Steven Belknap and his wife Alina of Wilmette Ill., Brian of San Francisco; three daughters, Kathleen Belknap of Brewster, Mass., Margery Dillenbeck and her husband Eric of Rochester, N.Y. and Susan and her husband David Schumacher of Phoenixville, Pa.; A sister, Barbara Belknap of Boston; and grandchildren, Daniel, Alicia, and Bibianna Belknap, Benjamin, Hannah, Jonathan, and Meg Dillenbeck and Page, Olivia and Samantha Schumacher; also sister-in-law, Sue O'Donnell and her husband, Jim.
At Charles request there will be no calling hours. Relatives and friends had a memorial Mass in celebration of his life at Blessed John XXIII on Monday, November 12, at 7 p.m. Donations in his memory may be made to Blessed John XXIII Newman Center or the Plattsburgh YMCA.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home, 29 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518)-561-3980. Online condolences and memorial candles may be offered at www.brownfuneralhomeinc.com
