DAMARISCOTTA — Charlie Zeiner died June 28 at Riverside Memory Care in Damariscotta of natural causes. He was 99. It can be difficult to compress a century of life into a short story but, at the same time, over that period, patterns emerge. Charlie was curious, resilient, hardworking, cheerful, devoted to his family and, as one of the family described, “casually fearless”.

Charles Herbert Zeiner was born on February 21, 1926 in Greenfield, Massachusetts. He came of age in the midst of the Great Depression. His father, Herbert, sold cars and found ways to make other money during Prohibition; his mother, Dorothy, was a seamstress. He and his sister, Kathleen, learned what it took to handle hard times.

His father eventually took a job that transferred the family to Portland, Maine where Charlie entered Deering High. At 17, two years into the war, he enlisted in the United States Navy, served three years stateside and was honorably discharged. When he came back to Maine, he returned to Deering to get his diploma and took a summer job at the Langsford House Hotel in Cape Porpoise as a cook. Fixed up on a blind date, he met the love of his life, Dorcas Eldridge. They married at the Old River House in Kennebunkport in March of 1950 and celebrated 73 years together.

Charlie took a job with the Portland Pipeline in South Portland in 1951. 1955 found the family transferred to West Burke, Vermont. The Northeast Kingdom was much like Charlie’s rural, Yankee roots – he loved the outdoors. Canoeing trips with his Uncle Henry became a favorite past time. He and Dorcas had four children, all learning to ski at Burke Mountain nearby. In 1962, Charlie worked a transfer back to Portland so Dorcas could fulfill her dream of living once again in Kennebunkport where she grew up. They melted right into the Wildes District neighborhood with Charlie, always curious, buying a skate sharpener to make sure everyone had sharp skates (he charged 50 cents a pair).

Retirement meant a move to Spruce Head after 22 years in the Port. Grandchildren, golf with friends and travel to warmer climates filled their days. They developed enduring friendships that mingled families and maintained family ties that have lasted into the late adulthood of their children, to this day.

Charlie was predeceased by son Mark in 2006 and Dorcas in 2023.

Charlie is survived by his sister, Kathleen (Zeiner) VanDusen of Camden; daughter Lorrie and her partner Skip Williams of Southport; daughter Kelly and her husband Ernest Piper of Rockland; son Charles “Chip” Zeiner and his wife Jennifer (Robinson) of Kennebunkport. He was proud grandfather to Joshua Miller, Clint Miller and Eliot Piper, and great-grandfather to Sophia and Scarlett Miller.

Charlie will be remembered for his love of family and friends, his perfectly stacked wood pile, a good cocktail and epic canoe trips on the Moose and Penobscot Rivers.

The family wishes to thank the staff and residents of Riverside Memory Care in Damariscotta and Beacon Hospice who cared for him so well during his journey beyond.

A memorial service for both Charlie and Dorcas will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donate to your local food pantry in their memory.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, Rockland. To share a memory or condolence with the Zeiner family, please visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com