Obituary of Charles Hugh Killam

Charles H. (Charley) Killam passed away at Auburn Community Hospital on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.

Charley was born Valentine's Day 1933 in Sandy Creek, NY. He was the youngest of four sons of Hugh T. and Barbara Bemis Killam.

Charley attended Sandy Creek Elementary and High schools, after which he attended Drexel University on Philadelphia, PA.

He was married to Barbara McConnell in 1956, with whom he had three children: Brian Killam of Sandy Creek, NY, Gretchen Digby (Odett) also of Sandy Creek and John Killam (Shawn) of Orlando, FL. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Matthew, Mark and Nina, and five great-grandchildren, Daniel, Grace, Michael, Anna and Aidan.

A second marriage to Katherine Colbert ended with her death.

He was married to Sharon Lawton in 1982 and was Stepfather to Andrea Pineau, Michael Pineau (Leanne) and John Reddick with grandchildren, Tristan, Brendan, Kyle, Jared, Bryce, Renee, Jack and Stella.

Charley worked at General Electric in the late fifties and early sixties, working on the team that developed the first solid state circuit.

He also worked at the Syracuse University Research Corporation, Anaren Microwave, and retired from Welch Allyn in the late nineties.

One of his fondest work memories was travelling to Churchill above the Arctic Circle on Hudson Bay when working for S.U. He designed payloads for the weather research rockets. He loved talking about this trip for decades after.

Per his request there will be no services or visitation.

Charley donated his body to Upstate Medical University.