JEFFERSON, Charles Howard (Charlie)
Jefferson, Charles Howard (Charlie)
April 13, 1924 – July 7, 2024
Slipped away peacefully in his one hundred and first year on the seventh of July 2024, at St. Vincent’s Hospice with family at his side. One of six children, he is the second son of Charles Wilson Jefferson and Dorothy Jean Fortier.
Remembering him with great love and fondness are his children David Bruce, Charles Wilson, Kathleen Anne and Ian Gordon; ten grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. He was born and raised in Bear River, N.S. and lost his father at the age of 11. He volunteered and served in combat as a lieutenant with the Queens Own Rifles from 1943 until 1945, when he lost his left leg below the knee from a land mine. In 1947 he graduated with a B.Sc. in Agronomy at McDonald College, McGill University, where before the war he had met his future wife Marjorie Jean Taggart. After WW-II, they married at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Ottawa on May 31, 1946. She predeceased him on February 14, 2018. Together for 71 years, they enjoyed outdoor sports, social bridge, travelled extensively to learn about other cultures, took courses in chair caning, enjoyed mysteries and the Ottawa Little Theatre, cultivating many diverse and long-term friends. They lived in Courtland Park at 185 Wilshire Avenue from 1951-2014 when they moved to Park Place Retirement Residence.
Charles joined the Canadian Public Service as an Inspector with the Plant Products Division, Agriculture Canada in 1947. In 1949 he took two semesters of graduate courses at Cornell University, Ithaca NY. He then began a long and respected management career culminating as Director of Plant Products Division from 1965 to 1978. He took early retirement in December 1978 after 33.5 years of public service. Before and after retirement, Charles was an avid gardener, maintaining three gardens for much of his life – a backyard project that converted Leda clay from a basement excavation to organic rich productivity, a rented garden on Fisher Avenue and a back lot garden as part of their cottage on Mississippi Lake (133 Sunset Lane). In 1957 they purchased the cottage land on which he hand-built first the “Mutt House”, then a 12x12’ cabin and finally a 24’ x 28’ cottage with a cathedral ceiling in the lakeside half and a loft in the back half. This rough-cut cedar-sided cottage continues to be a favourite gathering place for children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as close friends. Many of the family learned to swim, sail, canoe and waterski there.
Throughout his life since WW II, Charles was active with the War Amputees of Canada. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his years of dedicated service to The War Amps as an executive of the Ottawa Branch. He contributed to many wreath-laying ceremonies at the national Cenotaph and locally and was well remembered by the War Amps on multiple occasions, particularly his hundredth birthday. He walked so well in his prosthesis that most who first met him never guessed he wore one.
After retirement, Charles consulted in the field of agronomy, became active on the board of the Civil Service Coop (now Alterna Savings), and was generous with many charities, aiming to improve human lives and the health of our planet. An active member of the Friday Luncheon Discussion Club, he served as a Greeter for many years. He rarely threw anything out, re-using and recycling his own materials and the trash he collected on daily walks as part of his drive to save the planet. He investigated the Fortier, Jefferson, Taggart family histories and produced organized genealogical booklets for family libraries. He continued gardening at the Park Place Retirement Residence and served as the tenant Ambassador, in which role he welcomed both new residents and novice staff for many years. An avid hunter and fisherman since childhood, he had a keen eye for wildlife and loved tossing corn to the ducks with a chuckle.
Special thanks to the staff of Park Place Retirement Residence, the palliative team from Home and Community Care Support Services Champlain, Saint Elizabeth Health Care and St. Vincent’s Hospice. Veterans Affairs Canada provided support to Charles since he became an amputee and was especially helpful during his last months. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The War Amputees of Canada or a charity of your choice. The Funeral Cooperative of Ottawa is assisting us. Private interment will be at Beechwood Cemetery.
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