He was born in Dighton, KS, the son of the late Fred and Cecelia Larsen Gadsden. He grew up in South Dakota, graduated from Newell High School, and attended South Dakota School of Mines.
He served in WWII with the US Navy in Londonderry, N. Ireland and aboard the USS J. Richard Ward, a destroyer escort in the Atlantic and Pacific.
Cecil married Judith Killian in 1944. They celebrated their 50th anniversary with a luncheon cruise aboard the Catawba Queen on Lake Norman, NC and their 60th anniversary with a dinner party at the Silver Thatch Inn in Charlottesville, VA. In 1948, he graduated from NC State University cum laude with a degree in electrical engineering, achieving membership in Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu (national honorary engineering societies). After graduation, he was employed by General Electric in Philadelphia, PA for a years, and the Duke Power Co. (now Duke Energy) in Charlotte, NC. He retired from Duke Power in 1986 after 38 years as a system relay engineer in the relay section of the transmission department.
He was a life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and a member of the IEEE Power Systems Relay Committee; a member of the Mecklenburg Historical Association and of the board of the Hugh Torance House and Store restoration; and a lieutenant in the Charlotte and Lake Norman Power Squadrons, where he taught advanced piloting and safe boating courses.
he was a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and finance committee member of First Baptist Church of Charlotte. He later became a member of Myers Park Baptist Church. After moving to Lake Norman, NC, he helped to establish a mission that grew into Davidson Baptist Fellowship and then became member of Davidson College Presbyterian Church. At Peninsula Baptist Church at Lake Norman he was a deacon, a member of the men's Bible class, the long range planning committee, and the 50s Plus group; and for 3 years church treasurer. He also helped in the nursery and in Vacation Bible School. After moving to Virginia, he became a member of First Presbyterian church in Charlottesville. Cecil was a quiet gentle man who was admired by friends and family because of his dedication to them and because he was there for them. He was always willing to use his engineering and handyman skills to help neighbors and friends, and he found many clever ways to hang birdfeeders so his family could watch birds. He enjoyed spending time with his beloved standard poodle, Noire. He was an enthusiastic gardener and loved sharing the fresh vegetables from his garden. He enjoyed family vacations and outings, fishing at the NC coast with his friends, boating on Lake Norman and traveling extensively with his wife. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at First Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, VA. After the service, the family will receive friends in the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan's Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or www.samaritanspurse.org.
Published in the Charlotte Observer on Feb. 26, 2012
He was born in Dighton, KS, the son of the late Fred and Cecelia Larsen Gadsden. He grew up in South Dakota, graduated from Newell High School, and attended South Dakota School of Mines.
He served in WWII with the US Navy in Londonderry, N. Ireland and aboard the USS J. Richard Ward, a destroyer escort in the Atlantic and Pacific.
Cecil married Judith Killian in 1944. They celebrated their 50th anniversary with a luncheon cruise aboard the Catawba Queen on Lake Norman, NC and their 60th anniversary with a dinner party at the Silver Thatch Inn in Charlottesville, VA. In 1948, he graduated from NC State University cum laude with a degree in electrical engineering, achieving membership in Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu (national honorary engineering societies). After graduation, he was employed by General Electric in Philadelphia, PA for a years, and the Duke Power Co. (now Duke Energy) in Charlotte, NC. He retired from Duke Power in 1986 after 38 years as a system relay engineer in the relay section of the transmission department.
He was a life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and a member of the IEEE Power Systems Relay Committee; a member of the Mecklenburg Historical Association and of the board of the Hugh Torance House and Store restoration; and a lieutenant in the Charlotte and Lake Norman Power Squadrons, where he taught advanced piloting and safe boating courses.
he was a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and finance committee member of First Baptist Church of Charlotte. He later became a member of Myers Park Baptist Church. After moving to Lake Norman, NC, he helped to establish a mission that grew into Davidson Baptist Fellowship and then became member of Davidson College Presbyterian Church. At Peninsula Baptist Church at Lake Norman he was a deacon, a member of the men's Bible class, the long range planning committee, and the 50s Plus group; and for 3 years church treasurer. He also helped in the nursery and in Vacation Bible School. After moving to Virginia, he became a member of First Presbyterian church in Charlottesville. Cecil was a quiet gentle man who was admired by friends and family because of his dedication to them and because he was there for them. He was always willing to use his engineering and handyman skills to help neighbors and friends, and he found many clever ways to hang birdfeeders so his family could watch birds. He enjoyed spending time with his beloved standard poodle, Noire. He was an enthusiastic gardener and loved sharing the fresh vegetables from his garden. He enjoyed family vacations and outings, fishing at the NC coast with his friends, boating on Lake Norman and traveling extensively with his wife. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at First Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, VA. After the service, the family will receive friends in the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan's Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or www.samaritanspurse.org.
Published in the Charlotte Observer on Feb. 26, 2012
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