Charlie A. Piper

June 27, 1914 - Sept 29, 2001

3-D Camera Repair Doctor

Charlie Piper, on left, at Photographic Society of America convention, with Charles Osborn far right, with others fiddling with the TDC stereo projector by anon

 Male group of technicians evaluating the 3-D projector at the Photographic Society of America convention, Charles Osborn far right, with others fiddling with the TDC projector by Charlie Piper

1981 Charlie Piper, on left, at Photographic Society of America convention in Salt Lake City, UT

at a Luncheon and Learning by Susan Pinsky

1990 Daphne and Bill Shepard, Tony Alderson , Charlie Piper with his friend, Cynthia Brown, at the Stereo Club of So Calif holiday banquet at Shanghai Winter Garden restaurant by David Starkman 

Charles A Piper was born June 27th, 1914 in Providence, Rhode Island, passed away September 29, 2001 in Torrance, CA. He attended Medford, Mass. public schools, Boston Latin School, Phillips Exeter Academy, and, in 1936, graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He spent the bulk of his career in aviation at Bendix Aviation Corp. and TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, from which he retired in 1981. 

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He enjoyed painting and sketching, was a member of the Palos Verdes Gem and Mineral Society, and was an expert in the repair of stereo cameras, earning himself the nickname "3-D Doctor". 

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He is survived by nieces and nephews David S. Quinlan of San Pedro, Kathleen T. Quinlan of Stoughton, MA, Janice C. Quinlan of Santa Fe, Christine A. Plungas (Trent) of Torrance (PO Box 807 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254), William C. Piper of Orangevale, and James S. Piper of Port Angeles, WA, and by his friend Cynthia Brown of Oceanside. 

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He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Pouliot, sister, Calista Quinlan and brother, James Piper. 

Obituary:

1971 Max and Valerie Bruensteiner, Russ (Pres SCSC 1965-66) and Frieda Terrill Dec

Stereo Club of So Calif banquet by Charlie Piper

Thoughts about Charlie from Susan Pinsky​

1987 Judy Archer and Clare Merfield International Stereoscopic Union congress in Interlaken Switzerland by Charlie Piper

1972 Elmer Weidknecht, APSA SCSC Pres. in 1967-68 and Maude Osborn at Photographic Society of America convention by Charlie Piper

1972 Gerald Church, Elmer Weidknecht (Pres of SCSC 1967-68) and Helen Church in April

at Stereo Club of So. Calif banquet by Charles Piper

1971 George (Pres of SCSC 1959-60) and Veryle Pond Dec Stereo Club of So Calif. banquet

by Charlie Piper

We went to a lot of Photographic Society of America and National Stereoscopic Assn. annual conventions with him. It was always nice to be there with another member of SCSC. We always talked together a lot. He was very opinionated and cranky, but I always stood up to him, and we came to have a mutual respect. David and I both laugh, and love to recall the time he stated, at a gathering at the PSA convention, that the BEST ice cream flavor was coffee. This was in front of about 6-8 3-D photographers, as we all sat and ate different flavors of ice cream.We all jumped him and disputed his claim. It was very funny. Everything he did involved a design on a tablecloth or napkin, even this silly claim. He was a tough cookie, but with only a thin shell.        

In 1987 he bought a new car. He wanted to buy an American brand, but he couldn't find anything made well enough to meet his standards, so he ended up buying a Mercedes.

He was quite particular, kept the car in the garage all the time, wouldn't let it go through an automatic car wash, as it would scrape the paint, and kept EVERY receipt for any work done on the car.

After he died we ended up buying that car from his niece. We paid $2000 and drove it for well over a decade, until it was falling apart from at every level. Charlie's hat was on the back ledge of the Mercedes the entire time we drove it. He was always in our hearts and our thoughts.

1971 Harold Candlish, Floyd Garton ( Pres SCSC 1972-74), Maudie and Stergis M. Stergis (1968-69) Dec Stereo Club of So Calif banquet by Charles Piper

1983 Charlie Piper and Susan Pinsky in Sept at Photographic Society of American convention in

San Francisco, CA by David Starkman

1971 Gladys Clark, Gladys and Bryan Riggs (Pres SCSC 1974-75) Stereo Club of So Calif banquet

by Charles Piper

Charlie was one of the few other people at the Stereo Club who documented meetings, events and banquets.

In 1979, when I started emphasizing that people should make provisions for their 3-D slides, cameras, gear and equipment in their wills or in writing for their families, I wrote articles that were published in many 3-D periodicals.

I listed in the article people and places that would appreciate receiving your 3-D collection, with a bit of a joke at the end about leaving it to me, if you had no one else.  

Years later, when I received a letter from an attorney, saying I was named in Charlie's will, I never would have imagined that he would take that line seriously. But, we both enjoyed "people" pictures, and his club slides came to my home, where they would be put to good use in many ways.

He had been involved in the Stereo Club of So Calif long enough to have pictures of, and by, almost every SCSC President from the beginning of the club in 1955. I was able to assemble a 3-D show of all the Presidents images, and work, because of those Piper images, plus my own, and a few other stereographers. I'm still eternally grateful.

Please let this be a reminder to YOU to leave something in writing for your family, or friends, so that your own collection, digital or analog, doesn't get tossed into the trash.

Please, leave a list of a couple of possibilities: family, specific friends, a local library or museum, or last resort a thrift shop. Put it in your will, or just a letter in a file that will be found when you are gone. These images are treasures, and many future generations will appreciate them.    

1979 PSA Hartford CT Charlie Piper at Luncheon and Learning with Howard Sweezey by Susan Pinsky

1971 Marge Adams and Stereo Club of So Calif. Pres. Lester Lauck 1971-72 Dec at

Stereo Club of So Calif. banquet by Charlie Piper

 Setting up the screen by Charlie Piper 

1983 Charlie Piper in Sept at Photographic Society of American convention San Francisco, CA

by Susan Pinsky

Coral Phantasy by Charles Piper

1971 Charles Osborn (1966-67) Stereo Club of So Calif  Dec banquet by Charles Piper

1992 Charlie Piper and Ray Zone Stereo Club of So Calif Holiday Banquet by David Kuntz

1971 Marge Adams and Stereo Club of So Calif. Pres. Lester Lauck 1971-72 Dec at

Stereo Club of So Calif. banquet by Charlie Piper

1972 Veryl and George Pond (Pres SCSC 1959-60), Edna and Joe Abramson Apr Stereo Club of So Calif banquet by Charlie Piper

1971 Maude Osborn and Elmer Weidknecht (Pres SCSC 1967-68) Dec Stereo Club of So Calif banquet 

by Charles Piper

1978 Martin Folb, Stergis M. Stergis (1968-69),  Maudie Stergis, and Charlie Piper in back July Stereo Club of So Calif Awards Banquet by David Starkman

1983 Charlie Piper, past SCSC Pres from 1975-77, Leroy Barco and David Starkman, past SCSC Pres 1981-82 in March at Bill Shepard's by Susan Pinsky

1989 Bill Duggan, Charlie Piper, Cynthia Morton, Bob Bloomberg and David Starkman on train to East Berlin during International Stereoscopic Union Sept by Susan Pinsky

1979 Stereo Club of So CA coffee and calories after meeting. Left to Rt: Jerry Walter, Rich Bruland, Dori Atlantis, H. Lee Pratt, David Kuntz, Rick Finney, Earl Colgan, Charlie Piper

and Marshall Stewart by David Starkman

Max by Charles A Piper, Palos Verdes, CA

1979 PSA Hartford CT Charlie Piper holding his camera by Susan Pinsky

Spheroid Shadows by Charles A Piper, Palos Verdes, CA

 Refinery by Charles A Piper, Palos Verdes, CA

1957 Jean and Charlie Piper and Mr & Mrs Rosselot and friend in newspaper dresses 11 May  

1957 Jean Piper and Mrs Rosselot in newspaper dresses 11 May by Charlie Piper

1957 Jean Piper, Mrs Rosselot and others in newspaper dresses 11 May by Charlie Piper

1957 Jean Piper shot Adams, Richards, Harrison, Hall, Gossner, Graham and Rosselot in paper dresses

11 May by Charlie Piper

1957 Jean Piper shot Adams, Richards, Harrison, Hall, Gossner, Graham & Rosselot 11 May 

Queen Elizabeth stomping in the garbage by Charlie Piper

1971 Harold Candlish, Floyd Garton ( Pres SCSC 1972-74), Maudie and Stergis M. Stergis (1968-69) Dec Stereo Club of So Calif banquet by Charles Piper

1971 Conrad Hodnik, Roberta Stilley and Sylvia Sikes (1961-63) Dec Stereo Club of So Calif

holiday banquet by Charlie Piper

1981 Charlie Piper (1975-77), Marilyn Felling (1982-83) & Rick Finney (1980-81)  at July Stereo Club of So Calif Awards banquet by Susan Pinsky

1971 Sylvia Sikes (1961-63), Hugh Stilley & Dorothy Hodnik at Stereo Club of So Calif Holiday Banquet Dec by Charles Piper

1981 David Starkman and Charlie Piper holding the new Nimslo camera Salt Lake City,  Utah Photographic Society of America convention by Susan Pinsky

1972 Oliver Dean, Joe Abramson and Elmer Weidknecht (1967-68) by Charlie Piper

1981 Charlie Piper checking out the new Nimslo camera Salt Lake City,  Utah Photographic Society of America convention by Susan Pinsky

Spain Alhambra Fountain by Charlie Piper

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1998 Charlie Piper and Alan Williams next to him at Stereo Club Viewer Night Oct by Susan Pinsky

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