Charles Lancaster

Charles Richard Lancaster, 81, of Wilmington moved on from his physical existence on 24 March 2026.  He was born on 24 November 1944 in Wilson County, North Carolina and was the son of the late Martha Evelyn Lancaster and the late Charles Edwin Lancaster.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Charles was a lover of history, the NC State Wolfpack, music, NASCAR racing, golf, and oysters. 

He lived his life as we all should; full of love and passionately.  His biggest passion was learning and teaching.  Charles was a dedicated educator and embraced history and the lessons that could be learned from it.  If you sat with him long enough you were destined to hear a fascinating nugget about the US Civil War, or perhaps the time he road-tripped as a school journalist to see Martin Luther King, Jr. speak at a church in Nebraska, despite explicitly not being allowed to report on it and having the materials confiscated from him when he returned to school.  He lived with his eyes and heart open.

The Eternal Student

His love of learning never retired, even when he did. At an age when most people are falling into retirement routines, Charles decided to learn how to play the guitar.  He continued taking lessons and learning new songs even when his physical and cognitive abilities threw up every roadblock imaginable.  Most of us would have quit; Charles loved every minute of it and loved sharing it with others.

And then there was the time he tried surfing at age 65.  It was a short-lived experiment, but it perfectly captured Charles’ philosophy: try new things, don’t be afraid to fail spectacularly, and keep learning something new.

The Love Story

For those that knew Charles, his most notable attribute was his absolute, unwavering devotion to his wife of 61 years, Harriet.  His love for her inspired awe for those that got to witness it - the kind of partnership that makes you believe in fairy tales and makes you envious.  They were best friends, and it showed. 

He loved his boys (both NCSU grads - Go Pack!), but his true superpower was his devotion to his three grandchildren, Jill, Bates, and Mia.  Whether it was getting his fingernails painted, or pretending to be a monkey, or reading the same books over and over again, Charles never declined an opportunity to entertain and truly engage with them.  They felt his love in every moment. 

The Details

Charles is survived by his beloved wife, Harriet Diane Lancaster; his sons, Jeffery Charles Lancaster and his wife, Melissa, Johnny Edwin Lancaster and his wife, Steph; his grandchildren, Jillian Kate, Bates Charles, Ying-Tzu Mia; his brother James Reb and his wife, Deborah; and Buddy the best dog ever. 

The Celebration

A celebration of life will be held in the fall when local North Carolina oysters are back in season.  Charles would absolutely not want us to celebrate him with Gulf oysters - he had standards. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to:

-Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Foundation

-Dementia Alliance of North Carolina 

-Holy Cross Espicopal Church

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Charles Lancaster, please visit our floral store.