Obituary of Charles Edward Shorday, Sr.

Our father and grandfather, Charles E. Shorday, Sr., who watched over us, as well as his extended family, friends, and community from an early age, has left us with large shoes to fill. Charles was born in Doylestown, PA, on November 16, 1931, early in the Great Depression. He grew up in Hatboro and Warminster, PA under harsh and troublesome conditions. As a youngster, he worked the fields of local farms so he could save money and buy presents to provide a Christmas for his younger brothers. As a teenager, working during summer and school breaks, he recalls being paid $7.75 for working six 10-hour days. He reportedly loved farming but while in high school, Charles began working in his step-father's mom-and-pop grocery store in Warminster. There he found a new love as a grocer and eventually a supermarket entrepreneur. Dad grasped every opportunity that came his way to build an amazing life. He knew what it was to want, to work hard, to win, and to lose. One of the great "wins" of his life was his marriage to Joan Miller in early 1951, a marriage that was full of love, laughter, sacrifice, and joy for the next seventy years. That same year, his step-father fell ill and gave him the opportunity to purchase the little store in Warminster. Shortly after, Charles was drafted into the Korean War and Joan was left to run the store, leaving a job she loved, to support the man she loved more. Reading their correspondence during that period, it is clear this was no easy feat, but they were a team, for sure, and worked together to make it a success. Success also came through relationships Dad developed with industry leaders of the time. He was a ready learner and, coupled with his drive and work ethic, found mentorship and friendship from many. In 1957, he formed Townco, Inc. which grew to three supermarkets in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. A decade later, he sold those stores to Perloff Brothers, a wholesale grocer in Philadelphia, where he was named Executive Vice-President. In 1972, he left Perloff and formed C.E.S. Operating Company, Inc. In the next decades, he went on to develop twenty-three supermarkets in Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Philadelphia Counties. Some of these stores included Foodtown, Great Scot, QMart, Safe Foods, Shop n Bag, Thriftway, and Town & Country. However, the one he kept until the end of his career and best known to his local community was Shorday's on Old York Road in Abington, where he and Joan were familiar faces in the store. In 1996, Food Trade News included Charles in their Hall of Fame, naming him one of ninety-three food industry leaders who were influential in supermarket development during the second half of the 20th century. His early experiences molded him into a man who was motivated to work hard and position himself to take care of others, whether family, friends, or the greater communities where he lived. He never lost touch with that child who did without, his generosity never wavered, and his empathy for those who struggled never ceased. The success he found through hard work was partnered equally with his generosity and his life-long belief that community service was a responsibility for each of us. Dad is memorialized by awards from the Golden Slipper Club, the Abington Lions Club, Abington Township, Holy Redeemer, the Police Athletic League, as well as memorial spaces such as the Shorday Atrium in Abington Hospital, the Shorday Quiet Study Room in the Abington Library, and most recently supported the Willow Grove YMCA with a generous donation. He readily provided donations that supported opportunities for children to experience things he missed as a child, whether summer camps or ball games. While those contributions may be more public, when running the stores, he was well known for his generosity to local communities to ensure families in need had holiday meals, that school and community events were supported, and that his employees were well cared for. What cannot be measured are the thousands of times he was directly generous when he saw a need. He believed in second chances, in providing opportunities for others, and in paying forward. He paid medical bills for those in need and called in favors where he had influence. When his youngest brother was dying from AIDS in the early years of that epidemic, he worked against the then-strong stigma of the illness to ensure that his brother had access to the best medical care available. Dad was a man who knew his own mind, could often have a "to hell with what others think" attitude, and was tough, but fair. If he had a disagreement with you, you knew where he stood, he knew where you stood, and you could agree to disagree and move on. He was well informed and, when not working, could be found reading, often by the pool. We could always find the most recent thick biographies and non-fiction best sellers on his bookshelf. Charles and Joan lived in Abington for sixty years, also enjoying Winter homes in Rancho Mirage and Florida. Dad loved, spoiled, and cherished his children and grandchildren, but his puppies, Pierre and Perri, held a special place in his heart. Their love for each other was unconditional. Charles is survived by his three children, Charles Shorday, Jr. (Melinda), Lynn Shorday-Appelbaum (Mitchell), Susanne Shorday (Richard DiMarco); five grandchildren, Ehren Shorday, Cathryn Fletcher (John), Jenna Askin (Zach), Conor DiMarco, Harrison DiMarco, and one great-grandson, Adam Askin; step-grandchildren, Nash DiMarco (Kara), Lindsey DiMarco-Hyde (Jake), Matthew Appelbaum, Laura Appelbaum; step-great-grandchildren, Jake & Kayla Hyde, Gianna & Avery DiMarco. He leaves us with a legacy to live up to, expectations to meet, and a void that cannot be easily filled. His was a Horatio Alger story. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to; The Sisters of the Redeemer- Office of Philanthropy, 521 Moredon Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 or Abington Police Athletic League- 1166 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001 Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, December 9th, at the Sisters of the Redeemer Chapel- 521 Moredon Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006. Guests will be received at 10:00 and after the 11:00 service for refreshments.