Charles J. Kalil, 90

Charles Jeffrey Kalil "Jeff" died peacefully on May 29, 2026, in Mills River, North Carolina, at the age of 90, leaving behind a life defined by service, family, and enduring curiosity.

Born Aug. 5, 1935, to Charles Peters Kalil and Helen Jeffrey Kalil in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Jeff graduated from Phillips Academy Andover, in 1952, and Amherst College in 1956. He went on to serve in the U.S. Navy as a gunnery officer aboard the USS Lewis Hancock (DD-675) and a communications officer at Kagnew Station (Asmara), ultimately retiring with the rank of commander.

As president of the Boston-based wholesale paint distributor, Dexter Brothers, he worked closely with generations of tradesmen across New England, building relationships he maintained with genuine warmth and respect.

He married Marthur Hurley in 1960, who added the perfect spark to his gently profound curiosity. Together they raised their family while living in Lexington, Massachusetts, for over 30 years.

A long-time hiker of the White Mountains, Jeff retired with Marthur to Alexandria, in 2005. There he found a life more in rhythm with the outdoors he had always loved, paddling on Newfound Lake, walking Mount Cardigan, and noticing the quiet details of the natural world that others might pass by.

He participated quietly but generously in his New Hampshire community, reading to classes at the Alexandria and Bridgewater-Hebron Village Schools, tutoring GED candidates, and supporting the activities of Masons Union Lodge No. 79 in Bristol. These roles reflected a lifelong habit of quiet service and a belief in helping one's neighbors.

He will be remembered most for his boundless knowledge and gentle manner. A devoted history buff with an exceptional memory of anything he’d ever read, he relished learning about the wonders (great and small) of the human experience and the natural world. Those who met him felt quickly at ease in his company, drawn in by his kindness, unhurried way of listening and ability to ask just the right question. In his later years, he remained a steady and familiar presence in his neighborhood, often seen with his cairn terrier and walking stick, greeting neighbors along the way.

He is survived by his son, Jeffrey Ryan Kalil; daughter, Mary Kalil Hamawy; and his five grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.

Interment will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 23, at Bellevue Cemetery, Lawrence, Massachusetts.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Wilderness Society or the Appalachian Mountain Club.