1960 - 2026
Chuck is survived by his loving wife, Cathy McEleney; his parents, Charles and Catherine Waters of Montross, Virginia; his sisters, Michele and her husband Charles of Berlin, Massachusetts, and Suzanne and her husband Larry of Nova Scotia; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and in-laws.
From an early age, Chuck was fascinated by engines, electronics, and racing. At just eight years old, he and his cousin would ride their bikes from Holliston to the slot car track in Framingham, where his lifelong love of racing and engineering first took hold. There, he learned to solder and developed the mechanical curiosity and skill that would define much of his life.
By high school, Chuck had moved from slot cars to real cars and quickly became known for his fast Chevrolets and passion for performance vehicles. After earning his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, he entered the world of competitive drag racing as co-owner of the “Kase & Waters” Top Alcohol Dragster team.
A gifted engineer and fabricator, Chuck designed his own dragster frame and engine combinations, eventually achieving a personal best of 233 mph in 5.97 seconds at Englishtown Dragstrip.
Even during breaks from racing, Chuck remained immersed in the automotive world. In his “Little Shop of Horsepower,” he built race engines for friends and crafted a traditional 1932 Ford coupe hot rod that became a favorite at local car shows. Later, he designed and built a front-engine dragster known as “Rocket Science,” which early testing suggested was capable of national-record performance.
Shortly after beginning testing, Chuck was diagnosed with salivary gland cancer. Though racing was forced to take a back seat, his passion for the sport never faded. Even while undergoing treatments and participating in clinical drug trials, Chuck continued attending races, building engines, and helping fellow racers. He remained hopeful that one day he would return to the track.
Professionally, Chuck dedicated more than four decades to engineering work supporting the Navy’s Trident Fleet Ballistic Missile Program. He began his career at Raytheon before joining Draper Laboratory in 1990. Over the years, he served in numerous roles, including mechanical engineer, quality engineer, mentor, and subject matter expert.
Chuck took immense pride in his work supporting the nation’s strategic defense systems and deeply valued the friendships he built throughout his career with colleagues at Draper, the Navy, General Dynamics, and Raytheon. He was admired not only for his intelligence and expertise, but also for his kindness, patience, and willingness to help others.
Chuck will be remembered for his brilliant mind, unwavering determination, generosity, humor, and enduring love for racing, engineering, and the people fortunate enough to know him.
Calling hours for Chuck’s memorial celebration will be held on Saturday, May 23rd, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Buma-Sargeant Funeral Home located at 42 Congress Street in Milford.
Friends attending with hot rods or custom cars are encouraged to bring them in Chuck’s honor—weather permitting, of course, as Chuck would never take his “good” cars out in the rain.
