Obituary
Charles Shoemaker Satterthwait, Jr.
September 16, 1921 – July 13, 2019
 

Charles “Bro” Shoemaker Satterthwait, Jr., son of the late Charles S. Sr. and Elizabeth Pearsall Smith, Jr. Satterthwait of Green Hills, PA. He was predeceased by wife Rose Josephine Negri Barsotti Satterthwait and brother Arnold Chase Satterthwait of Moscow, Idaho. Chuck is survived by stepson John P. Barsotti (Sylvia) of Hendersonville, NC., daughter Victoria A. Satterthwaite (Marc Fishman) and two granddaughters, Wyn Alexandra Furman (Ian MacNeill) and Wallis Elizabeth Hamilton (Matt) and many grand and great grandpuppies

Chuck and his brother Arnold grew up in the Pottstown area where their father and Grandfather ran the Shoemaker-Satterthwait Bridge Company. While Arnold attended the Hill School, Chuck chose to attend Moses Brown in Providence, R.I. The brothers were avid cyclists, one time riding all the way to Quebec and taking a train back.
 
As a member of the Society of Friends (conscientious objectors), he served with the American Field Service as a battlefield ambulance driver in the Middle East and in Italy attached to the British Eighth Army from 1942 through 1945.
 
In service, Chuck was a recognized hero notably rescuing allied soldiers in one action by repeatedly crossing a river battlefield under fire with only the Red Cross flag thrown over his shoulder. This event was made into a broadcast by WIP Radio in their program, “Under Fire.”

In another notable action, he evacuated 7 British patients under low-level strafing. The bullets entered straight through his ambulance windshield and exited the back window. After the war he was always in awe of the pilot understanding that low-level flying over hot desert is tricky. For this action in Libya, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire and a “mention in Dispatches to His Majesty, the King of Italy.” He often commented that he’d pick up anyone who needed him, including a young pregnant Italian woman about to give birth. Upon returning her to the camp medics, he found they had little training in this situation.
 
In 1945, Chuck finished his education at the Cornell Restaurant School. After a year or so working at a Catskills resort and with Brach’s, he accepted a managerial position at the nationally famous restaurant, Herren's of Atlanta. It was here that he met his future wife of 67 years, Rose Negri Barsotti, the daughter of the owners Guido and Amalia Negri.
 
Returning to Philadelphia in 1969, Chuck was instrumental in applying computer analysis to the School and College feeding programs of ARA Services (eventually ARAMARK) to minimize food warehousing, waste and maximize their client service.
 
Satterthwait took up scuba diving at the age of 53, becoming an avid NJ wreck diver and lobster hunter. He returned to cycling in 1987, taking a week-long trip through Vermont with both his son, daughter and others half his age. In 1999 at age 78, he became the eldest cancer-survivor to participate in the City-To-Shore Cancer Ride.  When interviewed by the Philadelphia Inquirer about his active longevity, he stated that he thought “his great good health might do him in one day.”
 
Upon retirement, Chuck took up his hobbies of babysitting his granddaughters and of building and almost flying electric controlled model planes with Keystone Radio Controlled Club (KRC) of Lansdale. He became known in the KRC family as “Crash” Satterthwait for his remarkably short flights and spectacular, if devastating landings. Nevertheless, over his career he built enough planes to bear the names of his wife, daughter and granddaughters and rebuilt each plane several times over when he could find their parts.
 
As a grandparent, Chuck and Rose spent a lot of time with their grandchildren, taking them shopping, to camp, swimming and antiquing, and as many trips as could possibly fit in their “retirement” schedule. He generously puppy-sat for the many stray dogs collected by his daughter, and loved squiring his wife Rose about on her many excursions. He was active at Foulkeways of Gwynedd, volunteering at the Barn and in the library and where ever someone needed to reach something on the top shelf.

A gathering of family and friends will be held at 11 am., West Laurel Hill Cemetery at the Chapel of Peace, Monday, July 22nd, 2019.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of Chuck's lifelong love of animals, please consider a memorial contribution to San Diego Humane Society, 5500 Gaines St., San Diego, CA 92110 or sdhumane.org.