Necrology

Charles Blackman Pratt '54

May. 31, 1932-Aug. 7, 2023

Charles Blackman Pratt ’54 died in Glen Allen, Va., on Aug. 7, 2023. Born on May 31, 1932, in Silver Creek, N.Y., he came to Hamilton from Silver Creek High School. On the Hill, he majored in economics and was a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity. He played on the junior varsity golf and basketball teams as a freshman, continued to play junior varsity golf as a sophomore, and also joined the varsity basketball team for his second year. In his third year, he was a member of the Intramural Council.

At the end of his junior year, Charles was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Japan for most of his two years of active duty. Discharged with the rank of sergeant, he returned to campus in the fall of 1955 and graduated in June of 1956, although he retained his allegiance to the Class of 1954.

Upon graduating, he returned to Silver Creek and joined the family canning business, Silver Creek Preserving Corp., founded in 1929 by his father, Nahum B. Pratt, Class of 1912.

In 1964, Charles married Nancy Botticello, also a native of Silver Creek. They had two children before their marriage ended in 1984.

Later in the 1960s, Charles took over the family business from his father. Its principal products were canned beans and beets. A seasonal business, it employed many young people from the community, one of whom would later describe Charles as an easy employer to work for. Charles and his partner, Walt Wilson, operated the business until 1975 when they sold the company. Both then remained for a period of time to help with the transition.  

Silver Creek Preserving closed in the early 1980s. By then, Charles had been working as a manager for Forbes & Wagner, an electronics products manufacturer. Thereafter, until he finally retired in the late 1990s, he worked part time for various businesses in the area.  

In 2003, Charles left his hometown and moved to Cary, N.C., to live near his daughter, Julie Pratt Beichler. There he was close to three of his grandchildren and a friend from home who had relocated to Cary before he did. In 2006, Charles joined his daughter and family in a relocation and moved to Mooresville, N.C. An avid golfer in Silver Creek and a longtime member of the nearby Tri-County Country Club, he took his clubs with him to North Carolina. He was also a voracious reader and, to keep in shape, walked up to two miles a day even into his 80s.

In December 2014, Charles moved to Glen Allen, Va., living in an apartment until April 2016, when he moved to the home of his son Mark, daughter-in-law Mari, and their two children.

Because his time at Hamilton was disrupted by his military service, Charles had somewhat mixed recollections of life on the Hill. He was bothered by the social isolation of the campus but appreciative of the academic challenges presented by its faculty. 

Charles B. Pratt is survived by his son, daughter, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Necrology Home