Deceased August 14, 2009
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In Memory
The Class of ’40 lost one of its most loyal and enthusiastic supporters on Aug. 14 when Charlie Heaphy died at age 90 in Holyoke, Mass. He had suffered a long siege of multiple problems and had been under the constant care of his wife, Audrey. They lived in a retirement home in South Hadley, having moved there from Williamsburg, Va., in 2006.
Charlie entered Amherst from Pelham (N.Y.) Memorial High School. Reminiscing about his time at Amherst, he recalled the day during exam week freshman year when he and Pete Grannis made their first flight in a WWI open cockpit plane. Also high on his golden memory list was that day in September 1938 when, standing near the DU house, he watched with amazement as an unannounced and unnamed hurricane toppled the majestic trees on the Amherst Common.
He served both in WWII and the Korean War. He managed a family paper company, was involved in residential real estate sales and was bank manager with HSBC Bank Corp., retiring in 1989 as business development officer and sales manager.
Interest in people was his passion. He could not say no to a request from his church, the United Way, the Boy Scouts and on and on. He brought great loyalty, commitment and energy to his service, which included 10 years as Class president.
His love of tennis began at one of our Class mini-reunions, when a small group gathered for doubles and Charlie took up the game. He went on to play well into his eighties.
Last spring, as he was making plans for what he knew was coming, he requested an Amherst song book. His service included the “Senior Song” and “Lord Jeff.” At the reception, Amherst songs were background music played on the piano.
—Pidge Dowley ’40