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March 4, 2010

In lieu of flowers, a home

For Wesson, group builds 'Charlie's House' in Jamaica

By Judy Wakefield

Charlie Wesson was a quiet and unassuming man who never cared for the spotlight, prefering to help those in need behind-the-scenes, say those who knew him best.

The former selectman was a regular at St. Augustine Church on Exxex Street and all six of his daughters attended the parish school.

When he died last September at 77 after a brief battle with cancer, family friend Katie (Scanlon) LeBlanc knew the parish would want to do something special in his memory. After consuting with Wesson's widow, Mary, a mission trip was launched.

"We found Food for the Poor and it hit a cord with our goals," LeBlanc said. "We wanted to do a mission trip that had a direct impact on the poor and, if possible, build a house for a needy family."

"Charlie's House," a home in Kingston, Jamaica, was born.

"I was thinking how Charlie would say, 'Why don't you just stay home, Mare. You don't have to go'," Mary Wesson said. "He preferred to do things quietly, behind the scenes."

But this grandmother who lives on Marwood Drive, did go, banging nails, putting in windows and handling other construction-related assignments that needed to be done. The St. Augustine team had 14 members and over $6,000 was raised for the trip.

"It was a mission of love for a man who has been committed to social justice in a very quiet way his whole life," LeBlanc said.

Mary Wesson said she felt positive signs for the group's plan started emerging right after its arrival in Jamaica. First, there was an empty bottle of "Wesson" oil noticed among some beach trash. Then, a boat in the fishing village had the letters "CW" on it. The new house is in the Clarendon section of Kingston and Charlie Wesson worked at John Hancock Insurance on Clarendon Street in Boston for 28 years.

Those sightings will always stay with Mary Wesson, as will other treasured memories of the trip, she said.

"My goal was to share the wonderfulness of Charlie and we did that," Mary Wesson said of her late husband, a selectman from 1983 to 1995. Charlie Wesson was also active with numerous community groups in town.

The crew from the Andover church built Charlie's House over February school vacation. The Jamaican mom with three kids who will live in Charlie's House, kissed Charlie Wesson's photograph at the dedication and called him an angel, Mary Wesson said.

"He used to call the girls his six angels. Now, he has more," Mary Wesson said.

Check out www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX_kn2CW_-s to see more photos of Charlie's House.

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In lieu of flowers, a home
by By Judy Wakefield , , Thu Mar 04, 2010, 04:59 AM EST
Townspeople

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