April 10, 2007 – Frenchtown lost one of its most stalwart friends on April 4 when lifetime community member Charles Magras Sr., 59, died at his home in Lindbergh Bay. Viewing will be held Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at St. Anne's Chapel with services following at 1 p.m.
A 1967 graduate of Sts. Peter and Paul School, Charlie was a familiar face at both the old Harry S. Truman and Cyril E. King airports covering a long career. He worked for five years with Pan Am World Airways and another 28 with American Airlines after Pan Am went out of business.
In 2003, Charlie retired to join his wife, Beverly, running Mr. Creole, the venerable Frenchtown department store that has served the community for decades. He took a particular pride in the store's offering many things not available at the island's larger stores, for instance, oil lamps, wicks or a counter top gas stove. (See "@Work: Mr. Creole").
Charlie was a community and political activist, working always to better things in the community or on the island. He did the physical work in providing various places of assembly – Senior Citizen Centers, bingo halls, study centers, summer activities and a dance hall for residents and local organizations, the popular Frenchtown Community Center.
Dear to Charlie's heart was the choir from St. Anne's Chapel, which he directed, and where he enjoyed expressing himself in song. His greatest sense of fulfillment, his family says, was always in his role as head of the family and the home.
He is survived by his wife, Beverly; sons, Charles Jr., Chad and Cory; grandchildren, Adonis, Logan, Adonte and Chaz; daughters-in-law, Line, Decia and Siobhan; brothers, Pastor Magras, Gene, Harry and Roy Kenneth Magras; sisters-in-law, Jalma, Dianne, Florie, Theresa and Delores Magras; brothers-in-law Robert Caraballo and Cain Magras; aunts, Gertrude Magras, Julie Aubin and Beatrice Greaux; uncle, Clement Aubin; special cousins and friends, Irene Richardson, Red and Geraldine Bernier, Gary Danet and family, Donna Turbe Greaux, Cecilia Greaux, Steve Magras and the Homer family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the St. Anne's Chapel Building Fund. Arrangements are by John Thomas Memorial Chapel.