Charles McIntosh

Charles William McIntosh was born on March 1, 1932 in Carriacou, Grenada, West Indies. The youngest of Esau and Harriate McIntosh's children, Charles, affectionately known to his family and friends as Clinton, grew up in Carriacou, where he attended the Mount Pleasant Government School. While matriculated at Mount Pleasant, he also participated in the track and field program.

As Charles' older brothers moved abroad to support their growing families, they crossed paths with Adventist colporteurs. One brother in particular, Enoch, would purchase literature on a regular basis and send them home. This resulted in their mother's baptism into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Charles and his older sister, Violet followed suit in 1950. Thus began a lifetime of Charles walking with the Lord.

Shortly after his baptism into the Adventist faith, Charles migrated to Yorkshire, England. He was employed there as a coal miner for ten years. Two years after he arrived in England, Charles arranged for the love of his life to join him. On March 29, 1959, he married the former Elizabeth Cox, whom he affectionately called “Lizabeth." Their marriage would last 60 years. The Lord blessed this union with six children: Gwenda, Alma, Alvin, Greta, Judy, and Joseph.

Charles was a lover of music and was blessed with the ability to sing as well as play several instruments. Early in his life, he taught himself to play the harmonica, guitar and banjo. He later learned to play the violin. When his children were learning the violin and cello, a need for a viola player arose to complete the small group of stringed instrument musicians. Charles volunteered to take up the viola, and learned both the violin and viola under the same music teacher who taught his children. In addition to his instrumental musical talents, Charles was known for his sweet tenor voice. While in England, he started his first singing group—the King's Herald.

On July 10, 1967, Charles relocated his family to Brooklyn, New York, where they lived for nearly 20 years. They began attending the Hanson Place Seventh-day Adventist Church, where Charles faithfully served as a deacon. His love for music was evident as he both sang in the church choir and played the violin and viola in the church orchestra. He also organized an all-male chorus—the Gospel Tones.

As devout Seventh-day Adventists, Charles and Elizabeth both sacrificed to provide each of their six children with a Christian education, enrolling them at the Hanson Place Seventh-day Adventist School. Equally important was ensuring that their children were properly educated musically. His musical legacy is apparent in that all six children both sing and play a variety of musical instruments, including the piano, violin, cello, flute, guitar, and clarinet.

After Elizabeth returned to school, Charles often cared for the children in the evenings while she was in class. He took up cooking and baking, and soon became famous among friends and family for his delectant sweet bread, coconut tarts, honey wheat bread, coconut drops, and roti. Also known as a beverage connoisseur, Charles often delighted his loved ones with his homemade sorrel, mauby, ginger beer, sea moss, and ice-in-glass.

Charles loved sports almost as much as he did music. To that end, he participated in the Excelsior Cricket League in Brooklyn. A fierce competitor, he was often found at church socials around the domino table and was known to crack a few dominoes. He played draft nearly as often as he played dominoes.

In 1986, Charles and Elizabeth, satisfied that their adult children were self-sufficient, relocated to Palm Bay, Florida. They quickly joined the newly established congregation now known as the Palm Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church, where Charles served as deacon and choir director. Additionally, he founded the King's Messengers, an all-male chorus.

After moving to Palm Bay, Charles began a lawn mowing business. He mowed the lawns of many clients as well as many church members on a regular basis. He also maintained his own 2.5 acre property. He continued to run his business into his 80's.

Charles always spoke about Christ's love for him and how his Jesus always cared for him. His faith was tested as never before in 2007, when his daughter Alma passed away after a sudden illness. Though his faith in God never wavered, his heart and emotions were deeply affected by this profound loss.

In 2007, Charles retired from church service, but continued to attend every Sabbath. When his health began to decline, it was common to hear him singing while hospitalized. In May of this year, his failing health finally prohibited him from attending church. On Tuesday morning, May 28th, Charles fell asleep in Jesus.

Left to cherish Charles' memory are his loving wife, Elizabeth; his children: Gwenda, Alvin, Greta, Judy, and Joseph (Rosemarie); his grandchildren: Joanne, Brandon (Racquel), David, Taylor, Richard, Kimberly, Joey, Jordan, Alexa, Michael, and Alma; two great-grandchildren: Xavier and Roxanne; and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews, friends, and church family.

Charles' family loves and misses him greatly, but God loves him best.