Date of Birth
Oct 10,1914
Date of Death
Feb 24,2006
Charles "Charlie" Pitts Gould, age 91, of Bradenton, Florida and Elburn, IL, passed away unexpectedly February 24, 2006, at the Braden Health Center, Bradenton, FL. He was born October 10, 1914, on the family farm on Green Rd., south of Elburn. He was the son of Newton Seavey and Helen (Nellie Davis) Gould. He grew up on the farm and the orchard and attended the Gould Souders Country School as well as Elburn High School. Charlie’s mother passed away when he was thirteen years old leaving his father to raise the family of five children. His grandparents, Hiram and Nora Seavey Gould lived next door. Charlie began working for Blackberry Township, shoveling the road, when he was still in school; it would be a job that lasted for over 30 years. He drove the road grader, mowed and repaired the roads. He also worked for R.F. Houtz & Son for three generations doing whatever job needed to be done.When his younger brother, Webb, became bedridden Charles was there to help take care of him. Then beginning in 1987, Charlie began spending his winters in Florida with his sister, Mary. Each year as spring was upon Elburn, he would return to begin another year of farming, working for the township and then, in the fall, there was the orchard and the cider making. Charlie and his father, Newton, brought the cider mill, building and all, from Maple Park in 1944. The mill is still run today with the International Harvester Farmall, H-Tractor that Newton purchased in 1950. Charlie enjoyed people stopping by to see the orchard, purchase some cider and visit for awhile. He particularly enjoyed the hundreds of school children who came to see the mill and sample the sweet cider. After a few years of traveling back and forth to Florida, Charlie bought a trailer to live in during the winter and served as "handyman" for many of his neighbors in Bradenton.He belonged to the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club and went with them when White Brothers would haul the tractors into the annual threshing bee at the Taylor Marshall Farm, Sycamore.He is survived by his brother, Norris (Frances) Gould of Elburn; two sisters, Mary Mitchell of Bradenton, FL, and Helen (the late Harold) Johnson of Elburn, IL; nine nephews and one niece, several great nieces and nephews and countless friends and children who got to know Charlie over a cup of cider.He is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, one brother, Webb; one brother-in-law, Harold "Moon" Johnson and two great-nephews, Robert Johnson and Jason Gould.
A memorial service will be held at 3pm, Sunday, May 21st at the Elburn American Legion Post #630, Main Street, Elburn (next to Gliddon’s, parking in rear). Services will be followed by a memorial visitation from 4-6pm. Friends are invited to share a cup of cider and a story! A memorial to benefit the Jason Gould Leukemia Fund and the Association for Individual Development has been established. Checks may be mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, IL 60119. Personal tributes and memories may also be sent to the same address or forwarded to the family through Charles’ obituary at www.conleycare.com
Cremation committal services will be held at 1:30pm, Sunday, May 21, 2006 at Blackberry Cemetery, Elburn.