Charles Pankenier, 76, of Ridgefield died on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at Danbury Hospital. He was a resident of Ridgefield since 1984.
Charles was the oldest surviving child of Elsa (Wunsch) and Charles Pankenier, Sr. He was born November 30, 1944 in Jersey City, NJ. Charles grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY and attended schools in nearby Hyde Park, where he formed enduring friendships with people who kept him grounded his entire life. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Union College in Schenectady, NY in 1965.
In 1982, Charles married his endlessly giving soulmate, Judi Montague, who brought to their family son Rob (Galway, NY) and daughter Kate (San Diego, CA). They joined children from Charles’ first marriage: David (San Francisco, CA), Michael (Bristol, CT) and Amy (Denver, CO). Charles’ family was the source of immeasurable joy.
Virtually Charles’ entire 30-year professional career was spent in communications and marketing with IBM Corporation. He was fortunate in the colleagues he worked with and grateful for everything they were generous enough to teach him. Charles was a student of the lessons of history and their contemporary relevance and meaning, especially the US Civil War. He served as a docent and board member at Ridgefield’s Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center and published monographs on the community’s Civil War experience and notable architect and resident Cass Gilbert.
A performer in college and community theater, Charles could especially appreciate the exceptional talents of professionals on Broadway. He and Judi were avid travelers, visiting more than 40 countries from China to the Caribbean, as well as most of the United States. He also enjoyed playing bridge and being a member of the Ridgefield Men’s Club. For more than 50 years, Charles was a faithful follower of the Green Bay Packers and Boston Red Sox; he would have renewed his boyhood allegiance instantly if only the Dodgers had returned to Brooklyn!
Besides his wife and children, Charles is survived by eight grandchildren, his brother David (Doylestown, PA), sister Nancy Meyer (Jensen Beach, FL) and seven nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations to the American Diabetes Association or the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center in Charles’ memory would be most meaningful.
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