Charles Anthony McCusker

July 8, 1946 — February 26, 2024

Fort Mill, SC

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Chuck McCusker spent every one of his years devoted to learning about the past, the present and the future. His lifelong passion for physics, history and astronomy satisfied a thirst for knowledge that stayed with him until the day he passed on. His ability to absorb information in every form made him a dangerous competitor (and rare loser) in Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit.
However, Chuck didn’t only learn from the countless books he read. From Slovenia to New Zealand. From Dubai to Thailand. From Alaska to Egypt. The list of states and countries he visited with his trusty travel companion and loving wife Martha is too long to count… At every destination there were museums and historical sites that became new sources of exploration for him… even when Martha was ready to hit the beach or the street markets.

Born in Boston, Chuck graduated 1st in his class from Christopher Columbus High School. He then went to UMass Amherst on a ROTC scholarship and entered the Air Force immediately after graduation (the Vietnam era) where he served as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer for the 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England. After leaving the military, he truly enjoyed his career in Information Technology (starting as a Programmer/Analyst and advancing to Management).

Chuck and Marti met in a college bar on her 21st birthday and would spend the next 56 years together. Folks say that opposites attract, but this was a matter of complements attracting. Both were smart and driven to gain knowledge (in very different forms). Chuck loved to read and was an avid sports fan. Martha loved to travel and was drawn to architecture and design. Together, they drove each other in directions that neither would have seen alone.

While Chuck was studying for his MBA at the University of Utah, they had a son… Matt McCusker. Their lives would then be devoted to giving him every opportunity they could provide. Matt took advantage of this loving sacrifice and has become a successful Litigation Consultant. He inherited his parents’ love of travel and adventure and has 50+ countries stamped in his own passport. He would also (very occasionally) be a worthy adversary in trivia against his father.

As for the final years of Chuck’s life, they were not only filled with exploring distant exotic destinations and learning about the mysteries of the physical universe… but he was also blessed with friends and family. He lived in a close-knit neighborhood where smiles and support were plentiful, and his weekly bowling buddies brought great fun and strong friendship.

Matt and Jennifer (his beloved son and daughter-in-law) lived nearby and Chuck relished their time together. With the births of grandchildren Cordelia and Wells McCusker, a new phase of life arrived… he would play the part of grandfather.
Chuck researched for days to find meaningful grandparent names. Swahili jumped out as the favorite and he became “Babu” (while Martha became “Bibi”). Words cannot describe how Cordelia (the eldest) changed Chuck forever. Their time together was filled with games and funny voices and play. Cordelia and Wells were the brightest stars in his sky.

Chuck passed away peacefully and quickly on 2/26/24 with his wife and son beside him.
He was loved.
He will be missed.
However, we know that he is somewhere in the universe learning the answers he always sought and likely… asking new questions. We look forward to hearing all about it when we join him.

In his memory, let us end this goodbye with a quote from one of Chuck’s favorite scientists:
“Now he has departed from this strange world a little ahead of me. That means nothing. People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.” – Albert Einstein

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Charles Anthony McCusker

July 8, 1946 — February 26, 2024

Fort Mill, SC

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