Charlotte Irving Lindsey

Charlotte Irving Lindsey

KENT — Charlotte Irving Lindsey, 89, of Kent, passed away peacefully at her new home on Cape Cod on Dec. 2, 2023. A gifted wood carving artist, skilled drug and alcohol counselor, admired second grade teacher, and revered volunteer extraordinaire, Charlotte was a woman of many talents. She was a cherished mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, sister in-law, and recent widow of her husband of 45 years, Richard “Dick” Lindsey.

A Journalism major at Boston University, Charlotte nimbly employed those skills in many capacities throughout the years as a proficient relationship-builder. No matter the locale, many people she met walked away with a new friend. Several Appalachian Trail hikers likely still remember her generosity of a tasty meal and hot shower at their home on Main Street. Her second grade students from 60+ years ago, many of whom she kept in contact with over the years, shared sentiments such as, “she made learning natural and fun,” and stories of how she made them feel valued while infusing the love of learning. Her counseling colleagues remembered her as compassionate and caring with clients.

One of the things Charlotte was most proud of was her long sobriety and subsequent career as a drug and alcohol counselor after getting sober at the age of 50. Her message to many in the throes of addiction was that it’s never too late. Right to the end, she modeled not being afraid to start something new.

Not one to shy away from adventure, some of Charlotte’s fondest memories were when she and her beloved husband, Dick, would say, “Yes” to something new like moving to Maine for several years; traveling for months in a borrowed pop-up camper across the Trans-Canada Highway and then winding their way home through the United States; or adopting Luke, Beau, and Rosie, her treasured donkeys. In her late-60’s, having survived lung, breast, and skin cancer all at once, she wrote a letter that began, “Dear Intrepid Women…” to five fellow cancer survivors — all women from Kent — inviting them to join her for a high ropes course adventure. With her friends by her side, she courageously wrangled her fear of heights, donned a harness, climbed 30+ feet into the trees and cables where she proudly and successfully navigated the aerial challenge course.

Despite growing up in Darien, she considered Kent her hometown having summered there on her grandfather’s farm in South Kent since she was a toddler and moving to Kent full time after college. Serving the town in a variety of capacities brought her great pleasure. Some of her service included the Veterans Memorial Committee (and co-authoring a book called, “One Small Town in World War II,” with Fran Johnson about Kent’s contribution to the war), Kent Garden Club, Kent Historical Society, and the Kent Center School Scholarship Fund (to which she brought the idea for The Chocolate Fest). Charlotte and Dick were also members of a local Unitarian Fellowship and enjoyed many community activities.

The daughter of the late James E. and Cecile (Cottrell) Irving, Charlotte leaves five children, Polly Goddard (Andy); Melissa Makris; Constance Hedden (Don); Elizabeth Tobin; and William R. Tobin, III (Terry); three step-children, James Lindsey; Jennifer Lindsey; and Katherine Dunn; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her brother Walter Irving (Pam), sisters in-law Claire Irving (Bill) and Shari Adams (Rob) as well as many nieces and nephews, and her uncle, Griggs Irving. She was predeceased by her brothers William C. and Robert M. Irving, her parents, and her husband, Dick.

In her memory, donations are welcome at: Kent Center School Scholarship Fund where a scholarship in memory of Charlotte & Dick will soon be created so please be sure to designate donations in memory of Charlotte and/or Dick Lindsey: www.kcssf.org/support.html or PO Box 794, Kent, CT 06757 or Kent Historical Society www.kenthistoricalsociety.org/memberships/become-member/ (scroll to bottom of membership page) or PO Box 651, Kent, CT 06757.

A Celebration of Life will be held later this year in Kent.

Latest News

East Canaan's CowPots to face the 'Sharks'

Amanda Freund of East Canaan will appear on the television show "Shark Tank" on April 4 to pitch CowPots.

Photo by Ruth Epstein

CANAAN — Fans of the television show “Shark Tank,” stay tuned. On Friday, April 4, Amanda Freund of East Canaan will be facing the panel, imploring members to invest in her unique product: cow poop.

Freund and her father Matthew Freund produce and market CowPots, which are made from the abundance of manure found on their dairy farm. Matthew Freund, realizing cows were producing more manure — 100 pounds per cow per day — than was needed for fertilizing fields for crops, came up with the concept of the pots. Years of trial-and-error experimentation finally resulted in success. In 2006 he began selling the biodegradable pots using 100% composted manure to local stores. Now the pots can be found in outlets across the country, as well as internationally.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hotchkiss lacrosse ices Kingswood Oxford 19-0

LAKEVILLE — The Hotchkiss School opened the girls varsity lacrosse season with a big win in the snow against Kingswood Oxford School.

The Bearcats won 19-0 in a decisive performance March 26. Twelve different players scored for Hotchkiss, led by Coco Sheronas with four goals.

Keep ReadingShow less
HVRHS releases second quarter honor roll

FALLS VILLAGE — Principal Ian Strever announces the second quarter marking period Honor Roll at Housatonic Valley Regional High School for the 2024-2025 school year.

Highest Honor Roll

Grade 9: Parker Beach (Cornwall), Mia Belter (Salisbury), Lucas Bryant (Cornwall), Addison Green (Kent), Eliana Lang (Salisbury), Alison McCarron (Kent), Katherine Money (Kent), Mira Norbet (Sharon), Abigail Perotti (North Canaan), Karmela Quinion (North Canaan), Owen Schnepf (Wassaic), Federico Vargas Tobon (Salisbury), Emery Wisell (Kent).

Keep ReadingShow less
Thomas Ditto

ANCRAMDALE — Thomas Ditto of Ancramdale, born Thomas David DeWitt Aug. 11, 1944 in New York City changing his surname to Ditto at marriage, passed peacefully on Pi Day, March 14, 2025. He was a husband, father, artist, scientist, Shakespeare scholar, visionary, inventor, actor, mime, filmmaker, clown, teacher, lecturer, colleague, and friend. Recipient of numerous grants, awards and honors in both the arts and sciences, a Guggenheim and NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts fellow, he was a creative genius beyond his time. In addition to authoring scores of papers, he held several patents and invented the first motion capture system and the Ditto-scope, a radically new kind of telescope. He was a pioneer in computer generated video, film, and performance.

When not hard at work, he was always there to help when needed and he knew how to bring smiles to faces. He loved his family and pets and was supportive of his wife’s cat rescue work.

Keep ReadingShow less