Charles Edward Sandy, 88, of Wildwood, FL, formerly of Thurmont, MD passed away Friday, December 20, 2019, from natural causes at The Lane Purcell House in Sumterville, Florida.
Charles was born October 8, 1931, in Locust Grove, MD the fifth child of Joseph Ward Sandy and Eva Iola Grams. He spent most of his growing up years in Rohrersville, MD where he graduated from Boonsboro High School in 1950.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1951 and was stationed in Atlanta, GA. During his time with the Army, he spent 20 months in Korea. He received an honorable discharge in 1954. After his discharge from the Army, Charles operated construction equipment and managed a Sinclair gas station in Hagerstown, MD.
On January 26, 1958, he was united in marriage to Sarah Catherine Williams in Hagerstown, MD. They divorced in 1995.
In 1959, Charles was hired by the Maryland Park Service at Cunningham Falls State Park near Thurmont, MD. He retired in 1983 as the Park Superintendent. During his employment, he experienced many successes which to this day are still in place and enjoyed by the public. Charles oversaw the creation of the campground and modernized the facilities at the Manor Area. His interest in preservation and history led him to empty ore pits and discover important historical artifacts at Catoctin Furnace. These discoveries altered the dualization of U.S. Highway 15 to protect the site. He partnered with the Catoctin Furnace Historical Society to expand the preservation and increase awareness of the furnace’s importance in history. This work eventually led to the Catoctin Furnace being added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. He was also instrumental in saving a historic bridge from Detour, MD, which now exists as a foot bridge at Catoctin Furnace.
Charles developed the Maple Syrup Demonstration partnering with local experts and the Catoctin Mountain Park (U.S. National Park Service) to develop an education program that still persists at the William Houck Area and is in its 50th year of public operation. He was also Park Superintendent during the development of the William Houck Area which included building a dam that created 52-acre Hunting Creak Lake and created a campground and associated facilities. Charles’ managed the park’s 5,000 acres that included the Manor Area, Houck Area, Cunningham Falls site, Catoctin Furnace, and associated trails and hunting areas which enhanced and expanded the public’s enjoyment of nature and history.
After retirement he held various odd jobs and fully retired in 1996 when he moved to Wildwood, Florida. There he enjoyed a quiet life volunteering at a hospital, fishing, and tending his fruit trees.
Charles was always a lifetime learner in his desire to understand and implement improvements to his trees, gardens, and wildlife/land management leveraging people’s experiences and skills to increase his own. He connected easily with people but was fiercely independent.
At the time of Charles’ death he was survived by his ex-wife, Sarah Sandy; his sons Edward (Beth) Sandy and Kevin (Catherine) Sandy; his daughter Susan (Stephen) Simpson; his grandchildren Kyle (Ashley) Sandy, Abby (Justin) Fowler, Wade Sandy, Kolt (Alexx) Sandy, Grant Sandy, Leif Sandy, Joshua (Lori) Sandy, Rachel (Joel) Gallagher, Audrey (Todd) Steenhoek, and Emily (Nathan) Hansen; his great grandchildren Lucas, Bryce, Madison, & McKensley Sandy, Ryleigh & Everleigh Sandy, Jesiah Sandy, Allison & Ethan Sandy, Alexander & Liam Gallagher; his brother Donald (Joy) Sandy; 28 nephews and nieces.
He was predeceased by his parents; infant sister, Mary Louise Sandy; sisters Evelyn Virginia Reeder and Doris Mae Ingram; brothers, Ward Joseph Sandy and Walter Allen Sandy; infant great-grandson, Grant Edward Sandy, Jr.
Services will be held at a future date, at which time the family will designate a charity in lieu of flowers.