Charles H. Van Auken Obituary
Charles H. Van Auken, 89, of Gloucester, passed away peacefully in his sleep at home, surrounded by family, on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Throughout his 89 years, he touched countless lives with his wisdom, humor, and unwavering spirit of perseverance. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered with love and gratitude.
Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Charles was the only son of the late Howard C. Van Auken and Harriet (Anderson) Van Auken. He shared an especially close bond with his father, who taught him the crafts of woodworking and construction despite being legally blind. Charles was immensely proud of his father, a Sperry engineer who held numerous patents related to the design of the Sperry bombsight used on the B-24 Liberator bomber. This groundbreaking technology helped advance all-weather aviation capabilities during World War II.
Charles was deeply patriotic and had always wanted to serve in the military, but his disability prevented him from doing so. He took great pride in the fact that his eldest son and daughter went on to pursue military careers. A lifelong lover of history, Charles finally found his own opportunity to serve in the Continental Army during the 1975 Bicentennial celebrations. He became an active participant in Revolutionary War historical reenactments, building a Revolutionary War cannon and bringing it - and his family - to reenactments from the battles of Lexington and Concord through the 1981 commemoration of the surrender at Yorktown. Along the way, he shared his passion for history and imparted valuable life lessons to his children.
Charles graduated from Manhasset High School on Long Island, New York, and earned his bachelor's degree in finance from University of Pennsylvania – Wharton School of Business where he was a proud member of the Kappa Alpha Society. He began his career in Manhattan's Financial District before moving his family from Long Island to Gloucester, Massachusetts in 1969, where they settled in his wife Sarah's family summer cottage. There, he lovingly renovated the historic 1903 home and took great pride in raising his family.
Charles is survived by his loving wife and soulmate of 63 ½ years, Sarah Van Auken, and their three children, who were his greatest pride: daughter Kathryn Van Auken of Rockport; and his two sons; Gordon Van Auken and his late wife Ann Van Auken of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania; and Geoffrey Van Auken and his wife, Dawn Van Auken, of Waxhaw, North Carolina. He also leaves behind four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, Charles was predeceased by his sister, Joan (Van Auken) Weber.
The family invites all who knew and loved Charles to join them for a Celebration of Life at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Saint Paul Lutheran Church, 1123 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA 01930. Burial services will follow at Forest Hills Cemetery, 95 Forest Hills Avenue, Boston, MA 02130.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Charles's memory to Company 2 Heroes, a veteran service dog training program, in honor of his enduring love and support for military veterans and animals. The family believes this would be a fitting tribute to his extraordinary life. Donations may be made at http://www.company2heroes.org.
