“Chuck” as he was affectionately known to friends and family was born on September 3, 1934, in Cut Bank, Montana to Cecil and Jewel (Wright) Sederholm. His father was an accountant with the Anaconda Copper Mine, eventually becoming owner and rancher of the Willow Creek Ranch in Belt, MT. Growing up and working on the ranch, especially during Montana winters, made Chuck very strong and a life-long lover of warm climates. His mother, Jewel, was an accomplished artist and musician, instilling in Chuck a love of music and bright colors.
Chuck graduated high school in 1951 at age 16. Later that Summer, his family taught him to drive a standard transmission truck over a weekend, which Chuck then drove to the University of California-Berkeley. He walked into the admissions office the week classes asking to be admitted for the Fall semester. Based on his grades and brief interview, he was immediately admitted with a full scholarship. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1955, he entered graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), again on full scholarship, and earned his PhD in Chemistry at age 23.
Chuck then returned to UC-Berkeley as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry. Due to his young age (he skipped a grade or two) he often taught classes to students who were older than he! Chuck also co-authored and published several scientific research articles, one of which is still cited in modern research papers.
While at Berkely, Chuck was introduced to IBM and computer engineering while collaborating on the development of Berkely’s electronic class registration system. Shortly thereafter, IBM recruited Chuck away from Cal-Berkeley, and he worked at IBM for 35 years as a computer engineer and manager. He was part of the leadership teams which developed IBM’s personal computer and Prodigy (aka Trintex), one of the first online portals to the world wide web and provider of e-mail/messaging services. After retiring from IBM he worked for Lucent Technologies and later returned to teaching Chemistry at Florida State College (2001-2002).
In 1959 Chuck met the love of his life, Arden Alice Atkinson. They married in 1960 and had four children who were his greatest joy. The family lived in Cupertino and Palo Alto CA, Atlanta GA, Ridgefield CT, and finally, after many transfer requests, his family moved to the tropical climate of Boca Raton, FL. After the children were grown, Arden and Chuck moved to Cary, NC until Chuck’s retirement from IBM, and then returned to Jacksonville, Florida to live near their daughter and family.
While Chuck was incredibly intelligent and a highly successful professional, he was also very humble and selfless. Chuck was known for his personal generosity, and a willingness to do anything for anyone, especially Arden. He always seemed upbeat, and his glass was always “half full.” Arden and Chuck loved to entertain and always had a close network of friends. They hosted newcomers, endless bridge parties, and Chuck’s favorite – Kentucky Derby parties! He would be pouring drinks, making delicious food, and handling all the betting – of course, it was done on his computer with all the odds programmed in. Chuck had a passion for music (likely inherited from his mother) and played every keyboard instrument imaginable including the organ, piano, keyboards, and yes, the accordion and xylophone. Parties with friends and family holidays were never complete until Chuck played a few tunes on his accordion and keyboard!
His main priority in life, however, was his family. Weekends were spent camping, boating, fishing, swimming, shelling, and waterskiing with his wife, the four children and their friends. Summer vacations were spent in the family Winnebago, on the family’s cabin cruiser, or on skis behind the ski-boat! In 1981, Arden and Chuck also purchased a vacation timeshare in Captiva, FL. Three generations of their family loved their annual trek to Captiva for nearly 50 years.
In the last few years of his life, he enjoyed living in Westminster Woods. Once again, he made friends with his neighbors and was known for his kindness, his mac-daddy red scooter, his wild shirts, and his generous smile.
Chuck was predeceased by his wife Arden in 2015 and will join her at Greenlawn Cemetery. He is survived by his four children and their spouses, Steven (Ingrid), Keith (Cheryl), Heather (John Owen), and Tara (Markus), and his four grandchildren, Sam, Kendra, Jessica and John, and a host of nieces, nephews, and grandnieces/nephews and several grandcats.
Chuck and Arden were active in the Church in San Francisco, Atlanta, Ridgefield (CT) and Jacksonville (FL). They both loved singing in the choir and were members of the Hodges Presbyterian and Geneva Presbyterian Churches (Jacksonville & Julington Creek, FL).
Donations in Chuck’s memory can be made directly to the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the Florida Academy of Audiology.
A graveside service for Charles will be held Friday, August 26, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Hardage - Giddens Greenlawn Funeral Home and Cemetery, 4300 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgmandarin.com for the Sederholm family.
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