Towers, Charles Stewart 95, of New Pond Village, Walpole, Massachusetts, died on February 20, 2015, after a brief illness. He was the son of the late Admiral John Henry Towers and Lily Carstairs.
Charles is survived by his wife of 70 years, Lois Williams Mason, and three daughters, Helen Wilber of Plainfield, VT; Lily Laing of Beaufort, SC; and Diana McNamara of Dedham, MA. He was preceded in death by his son, John Carstairs Towers. He leaves his niece Lynne-Riley Coleman, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
He was born on January 19, 1920 in Washington, DC. He graduated from Avon Old Farms School in Avon, CT, and served in World War II as a Naval aviator. On November 24, 1944, he married Lois Williams Mason in Winnetka, Ill. He worked for the Grumman Aerospace Corporation in Bethpage, NY, and lived in Lloyd Harbor, NY; Beaufort, SC; and Calais, VT for many years. He later lived in both Dedham, and Walpole, MA.
Charles’s father, Admiral John Towers was an aviation pioneer who flew at the time of the Wright Brothers and in 1919 commanded the US Navy's successful first transatlantic flight. His godfather was the Antarctic explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Charles followed in his father’s footsteps, first flying for the Navy, and then privately until he was almost 80. He inspired his son and 2 grandchildren to become professional pilots, making an unbroken 4 generations of flyers dating back to 1911.
Fondly known to his family as “Guv,” Charles was an old school, self-reliant sportsman. Leary of the cost of sailboats, he simply built his own. Irked at the expense of airline tickets, he flew his family everywhere in his own small plane. He was a fierce competitor on the tennis court, a master of the social cocktail hour, an accomplished woodworker, photographer, backgammon player, and, above all, devoted to his wife Lois. In their long and loving marriage, they rarely spent a day apart.
A memorial service will be held on July 11 at the Old West Church in Calais, VT. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, c/o the Charles Towers Memorial Fund, 1275 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309.