Charles J. Embrey, U.S. Army veteran
Charles (Chuck) James Embrey, 87, of Milton passed away peacefully Monday, May 27, 2024 with his loving family by his side.
Chuck is survived by his wife of 61 years, Romaine; his three children, Marlene (Ray), Robert (Christine) and Jeannine (Alex); and his beloved grandchildren, Rachel (Michael), Lindsay, David, Charles, Patrick, Alison and Chase. Chuck recently became a great-grandfather to Rachel and Michael’s son, Eli.
Born Nov. 18, 1936, to Johanna and Charles Augustus Embrey, Chuck grew up in Webster, N.Y., with his two siblings, Madeline “Mag” and Henry “Hank,” who preceded him in death. Chuck had a special relationship with his Dutch grandparents, Madeline and Henry Koopmans, who helped raise him alongside his parents.
After graduating from Webster High School in 1954, Chuck attended the University of Rochester where he studied business administration. His studies were cut short, however, when his sister Madeline was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and he began working to help pay for her successful surgery.
From 1957-60, Chuck served in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Hanau, Germany, as a financial specialist. He loved serving in Germany and made many lifelong friends while in the Army. Chuck was honored to serve and often recalled his service as a turning point in his life.
Chuck had a long and successful career in defense contracting, a career that in 1975 brought his family to Gaithersburg, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C. Throughout his career, Chuck was an active member of ADPA, the American Defense Preparedness Association. By several accounts, his greatest career accomplishment was authoring a configuration management manual that is now a standard publication in the defense contracting industry.
Photography, cooking and reading funny opinion editorials were just some of Chuck’s interests, but most of all, he loved spending time with his family, especially his many grandchildren.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the exceptional caregivers at the Lofland Park Center Nursing Home. A private family service will be held at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro. In observation of chapel regulations, the family requests that there be no flower donations, and asks friends to consider donating to the Veterans Association of America, vetsaa.org.
