[Ed. Note: excerpts taken from Charles’ obituary at Georgia Cremation.]
Charles Ernest Minihan was born in Hillsdale, Michigan on December 11, 1949. He was 65 years old and a resident of Druid Hills, GA where he lived with his beloved wife, Catherine Anne Smith. He died on Monday, July 20, 2015, of complications from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, at Hospice Atlanta.
He became acutely ill in January and was being cared for at home by his wife prior to moving to hospice. Memorial services were held at the Chapel of Georgia Cremation in Duluth, Georgia on Saturday, July 25.
Charlie was employed for the past 15 years at Emory. He was a media specialist, assisting the teaching staff of Emory with classroom technology. He also advised Emory on how to make the campus more accessible for the hearing impaired.
Prior to that, Charles worked as an Archivist for the Jimmy Carter Center, a Librarian for what is now Georgia Perimeter Center, and an Archivist for Georgia State. There, he catalogued the archives for the Labor movement in Georgia and assisted with the archives of Johnnie Mercer, a musician from Georgia who wrote the song “Moon River.” He enjoyed the academic setting.
Charles moved to the Atlanta area with his wife and then small children, Colin Smith Minihan (now 34) and Anne Smith Minihan (31), in 1986.
Charles received his Bachelor of Science degree in archeology from Michigan State and his Master of Arts degree in library science from Atlanta University. He also worked on his PhD from Georgia State in library media technology, stopping just short of writing his dissertation.
He traveled extensively with his wife and best friend of 35 years. They camped in State and National Parks, and some private campgrounds as well, throughout the United States, from the extreme Northeast to the Florida Keys to the extreme Northwest in the San Juan Islands. They camped in England, Ireland, and Scotland. They visited gardens and museums throughout the United States, Europe, and Central America.
Charlie taught himself Gaelic and enjoyed learning about his Irish heritage. He and his wife shared dual citizenship with the European Community. As recently as December of last year, he was an avid bicyclist. He walked or bicycled to work daily and rode for the cure for Diabetes. He also participated in the Bicycle Ride across Georgia.
Charlie was an avid photographer, capturing the many places he traveled. In his younger years, Charlie and his wife built their own furniture. He and his wife volunteered for the Druid Hills Tour of Homes and were members of the Atlanta Botanical Garden for over 30 years. Their backyard houses multiple bird-feeders—he especially liked watching humming birds.
Charles Minihan will be missed by many friends, family, and co-workers. Of all his accomplishments, he was most proud of his children and he remained an active father even in his illness. During their younger years he was a stay-at-home Dad.
Mostly, Charlie Minihan was known for his acerbic wit. He told his wife, when his time was near, that she would need to take him “in a bottle” on her next trip to the Keys.
“I also know of his passion to help those with challenges,” said Dawn Francis-Chewning. “His was truly a calling for he worked to make the internet (not just the Emory network) available to those who had issues with audio and video. He was incredibly imaginative and so well informed about technology advances. He singlehandedly changed lives and made the impossible possible, bringing the world to an individual, and introducing an individual to the world.”
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