Obituary : Charles W. Flagg
Published: March 19, 2009
Charles Walter Flagg, 88 years of age, a Braintree resident since 1958 and a former resident of Quincy, died on March 2 at the Quincy Medical Center. He was a well-known photographer and photojournalist for The Patriot Ledger, having many photographs published by the Associated Press.
He was born in Boston on February 10, 1921. Charles was a graduate of North Quincy High School and Kent's Hill Preparatory School in Kent's Hill, Maine, with the class of 1939. He subsequently took courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in basic and advanced photography, which was the beginning of a very successful career in photojournalism.
Charles Flagg served with the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946 as a Second Class Petty Officer, and during WWII was a member of the original crew commissioned on the U.S.S. Cebu ARG-6 in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations. He continued his photography career in the Navy as a combat photographer and publisher of Ships Weekly newspaper. Additionally, Charles was honored with the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Medal with one star and the Philippine Liberation Medal.
After his honorable discharge from the Navy in 1946, he founded Flagg Foto Service in Quincy doing various photographic assignments, and worked for The Patriot Ledger newspaper covering 10 cities and towns on the South Shore, and later in his career, photographic assignments for the Quincy Sun. In 1960 he joined the Associated Press as the New England Manager for World Wide Photos and supervisor of national events.
Charles prided himself on his accomplishments in photography, which included a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize in 1955 for a prize-winning photo of Hurricane Carol that was also selected for use in the Encyclopedia Britannica 1955 Book of the Year. Charles also taught photography at both the Rhode Island School of Photography and Quincy College. Teaching and mentoring students proved to be a great accomplishment to Charles as he maintained close contact with many of his students for the remainder of his life. Passing on what he learned in his career and life was very important to him.
Known by most as Charlie, he will be remembered most by his family and friends for his pride in his military service (and a loyal and life member of Disabled American Veterans), his accomplishments in the world of photography and photojournalism, his love of the ocean and Martha's Vineyard, Quincy, and Braintree, and by the close circle of friends he has kept since his youth and his dedication to his own family. For those others that knew Charlie in passing, they will always remember his wittiness and keen sense of humor, someone you could never forget.
Beloved and devoted husband to the late Marjorie Elizabeth (Stanton) Flagg, he is survived by two loving daughters, Donna L. Honig married to Arthur Honig of Edgartown, and Corinne A. Dooley of the Forestdale section of Sandwich. He was the beloved grandfather of Heather Lewis of Ore., Yvonne Loud of Sandwich, Nichole Dooley Bunch of Braintree, and Christine Honig of Savannah, Ga. He was the great-grandfather of Caitlin and Casey Loud, and Aiyana, Toryn and Teyha Lewis.
Visiting hours will be held at the Mortimer N. Peck-Russell Peck Funeral Home at 516 Washington Street in Braintree on Monday, March 23, from 2 to 4 pm and 7 to 9 pm.
A memorial service to which relatives and friends are invited will be held at St. Chrysostom Church at 1 Linden Street in Wollaston at the corner of Hancock Street on Tuesday, March 24, at 11 am. The Reverend David Hefling, Rector of the Parish, will officiate. Burial will be at a later date at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.
Memorial Donations may be sent to the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 29, 788 Liberty Street, Braintree, MA 02184.
