Charles Spencer Traver passed away March 17, 2011 at Albany Medical Center. Charles was born December 2, 1941, in Chatham, NY.  He was the son of the late Spencer Charles Traver and Dorothy Tompkins Traver both deceased. He graduated from Chatham High School in 1960. After attending New Paltz College he taught for three years at New Lebanon Central School. Mr. Traver obtained his Master of Science in Education in 1967 from Teacher's College of Columbia University before entering the Peace Corps in August of the same year.  Charles served for three years in St. Vincent an Island in the West Indies where he was assigned to a teacher training college. He returned to the United States in 1970. He taught ninth and tenth grade social studies as well as Afro-Asian cultures at Berne Knox Central School in New York. Mr. Traver retired from teaching in 1980. He was revered by many of his students who still to this day look at him as their mentor. He served as Senior Class Advisor. After retiring from teaching Charles spent close to 25 years working for Northern Telecom, than a subsidiary of Bell Northern headquartered in Canada. Near the end of 1984 he was sent to Nortel's training center in Raleigh, NC. to be an instructor in the installation training department. He later joined the Engineering Department of Nortel were he assisted the department in the construction of their training manuals. He bought a house thus remaining in Raleigh for about 25 years. In recent years, Charles moved back to Chatham to be near his family. Charles was more than avid Genealogist. He spent most of his waking moments researching loose ends to make family tree connections.  His time spent researching history made him many friends along the road visiting many cemeteries as he passed,  spending long research hours in library archives  while loving every new fact he unearthed.  He has left an insurmountable legacy for his family. Charles is survived by his sister Marilyn Fosby and his brother George Traver of Chatham, New York, sister Dorothea Wheeler of Clifton Park, New York, his sister Barbara Sirani of Rye, New York and a sister Beth Barber of Hudson, New York. The family will receive friends Sunday, March 20th from 2-6pm, at the French, Gifford, Preiter & Blasl Funeral Home, 25 Railroad Avenue, Chatham, NY. Funeral services will be conducted Monday, March 21st. at Christ Our Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Chatham, NY, at 10am. Interment will follow at the Chatham Rural Cemetery.  In Lieu of flowers donations can be made to GLSEN, 90 Broad Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10004. For directions or to send an online condolence please visit www.frenchblasl.com