Charles "Chuck" Freeman Berry, 73, of Camden, Maine, passed away on September 15, 2024, accompanied by his son at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Chuck was born on April 1, 1951 in Caribou, Maine, to Eva Hall and Freeman Berry. The family soon after moved to the Millville neighborhood in Camden. They lived on Sand Street and were neighbors with his mother's three brothers Nick, Ralph, and Maurice Hall.  

His family worked in the local mills; Freeman as a millwright at Knox Woolen Co., and Eva as a cannery worker at the local fish factory.

Chuck grew up during the 1950s when Camden was still an industrial mill town and the demographic was largely working class families. As a young child he helped collect eggs from his grandfather's chicken coop.  Later on in high school he earned money by digging graves. 

Chuck graduated from Camden High School with the Class of 1970, following an expulsion the previous year for having too much fun.

After graduation, Chuck engaged in many trades and occupations. He studied real estate and obtained credentials to be a broker, he was the manager at a local store, he worked in various local industries, such as the tannery in Camden and the cement factory in Thomaston.  

For many years he worked a delivery route for the Portland Press Herald.  It was during the 1980s, however, that Chuck discovered his true calling — salvage and recycling.  For several decades he collected and processed scrap metal, such as copper, aluminium, and brass, and delivered it to local scrap yards in the state.  

In addition to being a metal dealer, he became a very knowledgeable appraiser of valuable antiques.  During his career he scored some large finds — a vintage Martin guitar, for example, worth several thousand dollars.  Many of these items would have otherwise been discarded into a landfill.

During the internet boom of the 1990s, Chuck was on the frontline of the newly emerging digital markets.  He created an account on eBay and began selling antiques and other valuable items to collectors on a national scale.

Using a first-generation digital camera and a dial-up internet connection, Chuck utilized his marketing talents to engage in a lucrative trade. Many of the items he sold were acquired for free at the local swap shop at the Camden dump. He was a regular there, making multiple trips a day.  Scrap metal prices were also high during this decade, driven up by development in Asia and elsewhere. Chuck was a very resourceful and successful self-made entrepreneur.

Chuck was well known as an exceptionally gifted writer. 

In 2005 he created a website, emmawhitecrow.com, where he posted his writings on various subjects. Chuck was a maverick; fiercely independent in thought and opinions, he did not feel compelled to conform to any mainstream consensus. Furthermore, he was very confident to express his opinions publicly, especially his disagreement and dissent.  He did not sugarcoat the way he saw things; he was truly authentic.

On the homepage of his website he wrote: "I am not under any constraints of political or social correctness. I word my truth as I see fit. I will keep this particular entry benign for the most part, perhaps even a little foolish. If I cannot bedazzle you with my penmanship, maybe I can make you smile at my absurdities."  He continued, "It is thru the establishment of this web page I hope ... to stop the further abdication of our personal freedoms and restore those which have already been lost." 

 In later years Chuck found a supportive audience on Facebook.  Despite the occasional temporary bans, Chuck was able to maintain his social connection to others right up to the end of his life.

Many notable activities and hobbies occupied Chuck's free time.  He and his uncles regularly attended the Union Fair and other state fairs where he very much enjoyed betting on harness racing.  In the 2000s he found great enjoyment playing online tournaments at pokerstars.com as he sipped Corona Extra during the evenings.

National sports games such as football, baseball, and basketball also interested him; he supported the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics. Chuck was a skilled mechanic and frequently fixed his own vehicles.  He was an avid motorcycle rider, his most recent machine being a 2003 Harley Davidson Fat Boy with aftermarket exhaust pipes.  In recent years he enjoyed riding around town on his red electric scooter.  Chuck also enjoyed gardening and he had a passion for planting sunflowers and tomatoes.

Chuck cared greatly about others and volunteered as a manager for over a decade at the Camden Area Christian Food Pantry. Other volunteer activities included his involvement with his son's Cub Scout pack, as well as for the St. Thomas Episcopal Church.  

If someone had a need, he would selflessly prioritize them and offer any assistance he could provide.  He was an extremely charitable, generous, and caring man.

During his final years he persistently maintained his independence right up to the last weeks of his life.  He refused to allow his declining health limit his mobility and freedom.  Chuck was extremely self-reliant and was the master of his domain.

He wished to convey his great appreciation to all of those who supported him with their caring kindness.  He was especially grateful towards the staff at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport, the providers at Cedar Ridge in Skowhegan, and the nurses and doctors at Eastern Maine Medical in Bangor.  He was thankful for the friendship and support of his former wife Tracy Richardson and her husband Kevin.  There were many others who supported him who have his eternal gratitude.

Chuck was predeceased by his parents Freeman and Eva, his uncles Nick, Ralph, and Maurice, and his beloved dog Shepard.

He is survived by his two sons, Nick Nadeau, of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Wyatt Berry, of Camden, Maine; and three grandchildren, Trent Nadeau, Olimpia Nadeau, and Brandon Nadeau, all of Las Vegas.

A celebration of Chuck's life will be held later this year at a local venue.