It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Charles A. Bragg, Sr., age 93, on September 24, 2024, at St. Joseph’s Hospital with family by his side. He was born on October 27, 1930, in Bangor, the son of Ruel V. and Lillian M. (Jones) Bragg.
After graduating from Bangor High School in 1948, Charlie was proud to serve in the U.S. Marine Corp. After the Marines, Charlie was employed at Eastern Fine Paper and Viner Brothers, owned his own business as a cabinet maker and was a building contractor for most of his career. He was a member of the Salvation Army, Masons, Shriners, Lions Club, Brewer Flying Club, the Air National Guard Family Program, and was a former Commander of the Civil Air Patrol.
In 1949 Charlie married Joyce M. (Sawyer) Bragg, his lifelong love. They were together over 59 years. His love of family was first and foremost, and as many experienced, his definition of family was broad and inclusive. Charlie opened his home and always made a point to help others. In his later years he often said, “as long as there’s someone I can help, I’ll stay another day.” His children have many fond memories of family times, especially at their camp during childhood. Charlie shoveled snow off the lake to make a large ice-skating rink, tied endless pairs of children’s ice skates, built campfires for cooking hot dogs and marshmallows and 4th of July lobster feeds. He called these times, “making memories” and continued this tradition of making memories with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Charlie loved being in nature, walking in the woods, hunting, and fishing. He looked forward to his annual Tomah fishing trip with his dedicated fishing fibbers for 42 years of fishing and fibs, one of the longest annual quad fishing trips known, at least by the four of them.
Charlie is survived by his children, Ellen Grendell of Winterport, Sheri Smith and her husband Lloyd of Veazie, Rodney Bragg and his wife Judy of Alabama, Carolyn Davenport and her husband Steve of Bangor, Mark McPherson and his wife Michele of Montana, his brother Eugene Bragg of Orrington, special friend Lorraine Hilton of Bangor, 17 grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren. His memory will live on in their hearts and the hearts of many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who loved him. Charlie was predeceased by his wife Joyce, son Charles A. Bragg, Jr., son-in-law Wilfred Grendell, two grandchildren, two sisters, one brother, and his parents. Living such a long life meant many of Charlie’s family and friends passed on before him. He would often say, “I guess I’m left behind to get the lights!”
A memorial service will be held 1PM, Saturday, October 19, 2024, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center Street, Bangor, with a reception to follow at the Family Reception Center of Brookings-Smith, 163 Center Street, Bangor. Those who wish to remember Charlie in a special way may make gifts to the Salvation Army – Bangor, in memory of Charles A. Bragg, Sr., PO Box 1101, Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Charles Bragg, please visit our flower store.
After graduating from Bangor High School in 1948, Charlie was proud to serve in the U.S. Marine Corp. After the Marines, Charlie was employed at Eastern Fine Paper and Viner Brothers, owned his own business as a cabinet maker and was a building contractor for most of his career. He was a member of the Salvation Army, Masons, Shriners, Lions Club, Brewer Flying Club, the Air National Guard Family Program, and was a former Commander of the Civil Air Patrol.
In 1949 Charlie married Joyce M. (Sawyer) Bragg, his lifelong love. They were together over 59 years. His love of family was first and foremost, and as many experienced, his definition of family was broad and inclusive. Charlie opened his home and always made a point to help others. In his later years he often said, “as long as there’s someone I can help, I’ll stay another day.” His children have many fond memories of family times, especially at their camp during childhood. Charlie shoveled snow off the lake to make a large ice-skating rink, tied endless pairs of children’s ice skates, built campfires for cooking hot dogs and marshmallows and 4th of July lobster feeds. He called these times, “making memories” and continued this tradition of making memories with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Charlie loved being in nature, walking in the woods, hunting, and fishing. He looked forward to his annual Tomah fishing trip with his dedicated fishing fibbers for 42 years of fishing and fibs, one of the longest annual quad fishing trips known, at least by the four of them.
Charlie is survived by his children, Ellen Grendell of Winterport, Sheri Smith and her husband Lloyd of Veazie, Rodney Bragg and his wife Judy of Alabama, Carolyn Davenport and her husband Steve of Bangor, Mark McPherson and his wife Michele of Montana, his brother Eugene Bragg of Orrington, special friend Lorraine Hilton of Bangor, 17 grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren. His memory will live on in their hearts and the hearts of many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who loved him. Charlie was predeceased by his wife Joyce, son Charles A. Bragg, Jr., son-in-law Wilfred Grendell, two grandchildren, two sisters, one brother, and his parents. Living such a long life meant many of Charlie’s family and friends passed on before him. He would often say, “I guess I’m left behind to get the lights!”
A memorial service will be held 1PM, Saturday, October 19, 2024, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center Street, Bangor, with a reception to follow at the Family Reception Center of Brookings-Smith, 163 Center Street, Bangor. Those who wish to remember Charlie in a special way may make gifts to the Salvation Army – Bangor, in memory of Charles A. Bragg, Sr., PO Box 1101, Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.
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Brookings-Smith, Bangor
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Family Reception Center of Brookings-Smith
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Pine Grove Cemetery - Bangor
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