Charles Francis Xavier “Charlie” McBride, 77, of Westport, Connecticut, died peacefully on October 9, 2026 at Norwalk Hospital after a brief illness, very much on his own terms.

Charlie lived a full and active life right up until this past June. He walked 10,000 steps a day, spent Memorial Day weekend in Kennebunkport, Maine, and last fall spent weeks walking cobblestone streets in Europe. His decline was swift, and true to form, he met it with his quick wit and stubbornness fully intact.

Born in Norwalk on August 15, 1949, to the late Francis Xavier McBride and Mary Nichols McBride, Charlie grew up on Wilson Point, where he developed a lifelong love of boating, tennis, and being on the water. He lived in Norwalk until 1989, when he moved to Westport, but he always considered himself a “Norwalk boy” and told anyone who asked that he was from South Norwalk.

Charlie was educated in Catholic schools his whole life. An altar boy growing up, he attended St. Joseph’s grammar school, where he made a group of friends he considered his brothers for the rest of his life. For decades, they spent every Christmas Eve together at Partner’s Cafe in East Norwalk. Although he was 100% Irish, he was always considered “one of the Italians.”

He graduated from Fairfield Prep in 1967 and from Boston College in 1971 with a BA. He later earned an MBA from Iona College in 1982. He was also a Certified Public Accountant and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

After college, Charlie served six years in the Connecticut Army National Guard, in artillery, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1972, he began a 44-year career at Pitney Bowes. He started in the tax department, spent a large part of his career as head of pensions, and in 1999 was promoted to Vice President of Investor Relations, the role from which he retired in 2016. He also served for many years as Chairman of the Board of the Pitney Bowes Employees Federal Credit Union, having served as a member of the board before that.

Charlie was a hard worker to his core, driven by his devotion to his family and the life he wanted to give them.

Charlie met his wife, Judith “Judy” Anderson McBride, through a bowling team. His best friend, Floyd Thopsey, and Floyd’s wife, Kathy, who worked with Judy, set the two of them up. They married in 1978 and had two children, Meredith and Chuck. Floyd and Kathy and their children remained like family for life.

Boston College is a McBride family tradition and Charlie was very proud to be a BC Eagle. His father, two of his sisters, a brother-in-law, both of his children, and his daughter-in-law all attended BC. Charlie became a BC football season ticket holder when Meredith started at BC. He purchased a tailgating spot the following season and the McBride tailgate became legendary.

Charlie and Judy attended nearly every home game from the 2001 season through the 2025 season, which they had decided to be their final season. Charlie’s tailgate, like his home, welcomed everyone. You barely arrived before Charlie said, “What can I get you?” offering drinks and food while he manned the grill. Your glass was never empty when Charlie McBride was around. Countless BC alumni, from classes spanning many years, hold a special place in their hearts for the McBride tailgate.

In retirement, Charlie and Judy rotated lunches and dinners at Rizzuto’s, Romanacci’s, Sakura, and Donovan’s, and before that the Black Duck and occasionally Little Kitchen of Westport. Fellow diners and staff often remarked that they were the only couple who actually talked to each other. They also traveled often, taking an annual Tauck tour, visiting Kennebunkport, Maine, and Newport, Rhode Island each year, and spending the days after Christmas through after New Year’s at their timeshare in Palm Beach Shores. Italy and Ireland (including a trip to see BC play—and lose!—in Dublin) were his favorite places to travel.

Charlie was a man of routine, with clear views on how things should be done. On Christmas morning, his children had to wait until he had showered, shaved, and dressed before they could go downstairs for their gifts. Even this August, while Judy was on the phone calling 911 to take him to the ER, he insisted Meredith give him his razor so he could shave.

Every Christmas Eve, he made clams and linguine for the family, and on Christmas morning, eggs benedict. He was proud of his Steak Diane and also loved cooking on the grill.

He was affectionately known as “Cheap Charlie,” although his frugality was limited to himself as he was an incredibly generous individual. He told the same stories many times over and played his music too loud, especially Billy Joel, the

Eagles, Irish music on St. Patrick’s Day, and Christmas music over the holidays. He loved the Dropkick Murphys’s version of BC’s “For Boston.” Though he was proudly Irish, he did not care for corned beef, Irish whiskey, or Guinness. He considered himself a Mets and Red Sox fan, but he was married to a diehard Yankees fan and had Yankees fan children, who both married Mets fans.

He was always right, except in conversations with his daughter, Meredith, who took pleasure in proving him wrong. An introvert who would never admit it, he could command a room and enjoyed time with people until he was ready to head

upstairs for his milk and cookies and some television. He loved Lord of the Rings, comic books, superheroes, Star Trek, and supernatural and sci-fi shows. In his younger days, he played video games, including the original Zelda, which holds a special place in his children’s hearts. He loved telling stories about camping with his son, Chuck, an Eagle Scout, and about coaching his Little League team.

Charlie’s retirement project, and what he called the hardest job he ever had, was caring for his twin grandsons, Xavier and Quintin, from the time they were four months old until June of this year, when he was no longer physically able.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Judy; his daughter, Meredith Frances McBride, and her husband, Jonathan Hack, of Westport, his son, Charles Carten “Chuck” McBride II, and his wife, Hannah Elizabeth McBride, of Needham, Mass.; his grandchildren, Xavier Jonathan Hack-McBride and Quintin Brooklyn Hack-McBride, who called him Grandpa, and Lily Loretta McBride, Owen Thomas McBride, and Dylan James McBride, who called him Papa; his sisters, Theresa (Chris) Levy and Eileen (John) Margherio of Charleston, S.C.; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Mary McBride Konrad, and his beloved black labs, Bogart, Char, and Digger.

Relatives and friends may call on Friday, October 23rd, at Harding Funeral Home in Westport, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 24th, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Fairfield. Burial will be private, at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust, or a charity of choice.