Charles Everett McKittrick Jr. (1929 - 2022) passed away September 3rd at his Bethesda home in the Fox Hill community he loved and where he had been thriving for over 6 years. Charles graduated from Duke in the Spring of 1950, and entered sales training school at IBM. As the Korean War worsened, Charles enlisted in the Air Force serving a Second Lieutenant.
Charles re-joined IBM after the Air Force, moving from salesman, to branch manager to regional manager to becoming a pioneer in Banking and a specialist in Public Sector marketing. His success with government sales, combined with an enduring passion for politics, led IBM to ask Charles to start and develop what would eventually become a groundbreaking Public Affairs office in Washington DC, where he retired, after 40 years as Vice President.
Driven by a thirst for knowledge and experience, Charles was a consummate traveler: he traveled around the world as a bachelor, internationally as a global executive, and in retirement where he traveled for 25 years with his longtime companion Charlotte Potler Klein. Visiting over 70 countries, Charles especially loved train travel: Tran-Siberian Railway from Vladivostok to Moscow; Beijing to Moscow through Central Asia; across Australia; across Canada; London to Venice; Cairo to Luxor; Adelaide to Alice Springs; and Johannesburg to Capetown.
Charles’ curiosity didn’t stop with politics and travel. He was a consummate student and collector. His collections ranged from European porcelain, to Native American art, to political cartoons of the late 19th and 20th century. His most prized collection filled a climate controlled room-full of over 3,500 Spanish Civil War books, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers and musical recordings.
Chuck, as he was known to many, could be tough. He was opinionated, definitive, and always well informed. Yet, as someone recently remarked, “he was as affable, kind, patient and humble as he was brilliant and accomplished.” He learned from everyone, regardless of status, and everyone learned from him. He was a sought after confidant, as well as impactful board member - serving the Washington Hospital Center Board for 18 years, the Institute of American Indian Art for 10, and the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity for 6.
Chuck was predeceased by his ex-wife of 34 years, Alice McKittrick and is survived by his two children Linda and Charles McKittrick III, grandchildren Frances and Ulysses, brother Jack, and longtime loving companion Charlotte Potler Klein. A memorial service will be held 9/21 at Fox Hill in Bethesda from 3PM to 5PM in the Wintergarden. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation in his memory to the Institute of American Indian Arts through the IAIA Foundation at: 83 Avan Nu Po Road; Santa Fe, NM 87508-1300 or through their website. Please mention McKittrick in the notes.
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