CONCORD - Charles W. Dee, Sr., 88, a lifelong Concord resident, died peacefully on Sunday, July 29, 2012 at his Concord home. A third generation Funeral Director, and former President and Treasurer of Dee Funeral Home in Concord, he was affiliated with the family owned and operated firm for 64 years. He was the beloved husband of the late Nancy I. (Sealey) Dee who died in 2004. Born in Concord on November 11, 1923 he was the son of the late James H. Dee Sr. and Agnes C. (O'Dowd) Dee. He attended Concord public schools, and was a 1943 graduate of Concord High School. In High School, he was co-captain, along with the late Richie O'Neil, of the 1942 varsity football team, coached by the legendary Concord coach Bernie Megin. He also lettered and co-captained the varsity track team. During World War II, he was a Sergeant in the Army Air Corps, 492nd Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force, serving in the European Theatre of Operations. He was the recipient of six bronze battle stars. The French government awarded each member of his group, known as "The Carpetbaggers," the Croix de Guerre Citation. After the war, he returned to Concord and joined his father and grandfather in the operation of the funeral business, then known as Joseph Dee and Son Funeral Home, in Concord. He served his apprenticeship and graduated in 1948 from New England Institute in Boston. In 1955, he was overwhelmingly elected to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Committee, where he would serve for 24 years and as Chairman for several of those years. He also served the Town as a member and Chairman of the Preservation of Parks and Monuments Committee, as Sealer of Weights and Measures, a job that was handed down from his grandfather and father, and as Registrar of Veterans graves and Burial Agent. As an amateur photographer and the Town's official Photographer, he was responsible for taking and preserving movies of many of the highlights of Concord's more recent and current history. His movies of the April 19th and Memorial Day Parades and other town ceremonies have been an important contribution of the Town Archives and praised by successive chairman of the Concord Public Ceremonies Committee. As a young boy, he began a lifelong interest in Concord's Native American history by finding and preserving numerous Indian arrowheads and artifacts, many of which were found while he was working on his grandfather's Peter Spring Farm, located on Bedford Street in Concord. A member of the Massachusetts Arms Collectors, Mr. Dee also had a keen interest in collecting and preserving antique firearms, most notably from 18th and 19th century Concord gun makers Alvan Pratt and Artemus Wheeler. He was a founding director of the Thoreau Foundation and life-member of the Thoreau Lyceum of Concord and a life-member of the Concord Antiquarian Society, now Concord Museum. He also was a Life member of James J. Mansfield American Legion Post in Concord, Concord Council #287 Knights of Columbus; the Concord Lodge of Elks; was a Past President of the Rotary Club of Concord and a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. He was a life-member of the Concord Rod and Gun Club, and Musketaquid Sportsmen's Club in Concord, and Associate member of the Concord Independent Battery. He also formerly served as a board member of the Concord Chamber of Commerce, and as a Corporator of Middlesex Savings Bank in Concord. During the 1980's, he was proud to serve a term on the District Board of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association. In 1997, Mr. Dee and his late wife, Nancy, were selected as Concord's Honored Citizens, in recognition of their service to the town of Concord throughout the years. Survivors include, 2 daughters, Sherry Dee Mobley and her husband Jack of Pepperell, Susan Dee Johnson and her husband Mark of Concord, a son, Charles W. Dee, Jr. and his wife Dari of Concord, 5 grandchildren, Pamela J. Pickering and her husband Shawn of Framingham, Matthew C. Adams and his wife Stacy of Beverly, Nathan P. Mobley of Pepperell, Blayne E. Dee and Daniel V. Dee, both of Concord, 6 great grandchildren, Tucker, Griffin, Foster, Paige, Emerson and Leah, a sister, Martha M. Pagano of Maynard and a brother, Norman E. Dee and his wife Joan of Concord, and several nieces and nephews. He was also the brother of the late Marian F. Roman and James H. Dee, Jr. Visiting hours will be held at the Dee Funeral Home on Wednesday, August 8th from 6 to 9 PM and Thursday, August 9th from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 PM. An Elks memorial service will be held on Wednesday evening at 7 pm. Officers and members of the Concord Independent Battery will serve as honor guard on Thursday evening. Funeral will be held on Friday, August 10th from the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center at 9 AM followed by a funeral Mass in Holy Family Parish, Monument Square, Concord Center at 10 AM. Concord's town flag will fly at half-staff on Friday, August 10th in recognition of Mr. Dee's service to his country during World War II and for being selected as Concord's Honored Citizen in 1997. Burial will follow in the family burial plot in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord where officers of the U.S. Air Force will present military honors. Contributions in his memory may be made to The Friends of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, P. O. Box 313, Concord, MA 01742 or to Holy Family Parish Lower Church Renovation Fund, 55 Church Street, Concord, MA 01742.