Charles H. Kana

Rexford, NY - Charles H. Kana passed away on August 31st, 2021, at 91 years old. He was a former resident at Coburg Village in Rexford, New York and previously lived in Summer Winds in Saratoga Springs. Charles was born in Whitehall, New York on July 4, 1930 the third son of the late Fenton W. Kana, Jr., and Clara Adeline Neddo. He was predeceased by his loving wife Doreen Cooke Kana of 65 years and his oldest son Thomas E. Kana of Colorado Springs, CO., his brothers, George Robert Kana (Rube) of Whitehall and Raymond William Kana of Beverly Hills, Florida.

Charles graduated from Whitehall High School in the Class of 1947. Charlie later attended Albany Business College and graduated from the two-year accounting course in 1950 and subsequently received an appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. He graduated in February 1955 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering including a Third Marine Engineer's Coast Guard license. The day following graduation he married his best friend and high school prom date, Doreen Ann Cooke, at the Star of The Sea Chapel. Following graduation from Kings Point, Charlie accepted a position with the General Electric Co. in Schenectady, N.Y.  He eventually worked at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory where he became involved in the design and manufacture of large reactor plant valves for the nuclear power plants on the submarine Triton and the cruiser Bainbridge.  Charlie held a variety of engineering leadership positions at GE and KAPL before retiring in 1992.

Charlie enjoyed the game of golf and has played over ninety golf courses through the United States, Bermuda, England, and Hawaii. He and his family spent their early years tenting and boating on Lake George while enjoying many ski outings in New York, Vermont, and Canada. ln addition to golf Charlie's major hobby was working on his large HO model train layout.  His other pastimes included reading, crossword puzzles, woodworking, playing bridge and watching Jeopardy. His favorite times of the day were his coffee and newspaper in the morning and his scotch in the late afternoon.

The Kana family spent most of their life in the East Glenville and Burnt Hills communities.  The family are all active members at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Glenville.  Doreen and Chuck enthusiastically enjoyed following their children and grandchildren sporting events in both high school and college. They both took extreme pleasure in sharing time with their grandchildren especially around family events and the Holiday season.

Charlie loved to travel and was always fascinated by his arrival in a foreign country. He and Doreen traveled extensively around the United States and spent the winter months in Florida. They also enjoyed cruise ship tours of Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, the New England Coast, and their train trip through the Canadian Rockies. Their travel highlights included trips to Southeast Asia, and many family visits to Toronto and London, England.

Charlie, beloved father and grandfather, is survived by his two sons, Dr. Stephen Michael (Jean) Kana of Spartanburg, SC; Dr. Daniel Francis (Karen) Kana of Bedford, NH, and a daughter Kathleen Claire (Michael) Lombardo of Newtown Square, PA, and eleven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 18, 2021, at St. Edward the Confessor Church in Clifton Park NY. Burial will be at Our Lady of Angels cemetery in Whitehall, NY at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to the Lake George Association-an organization that is focused on environmentally protecting the lake that has been very special to Charlie and his family.  

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