Charles Scureman Strauch

Charles Scureman Strauch

May 21, 1935-May 10, 2026

Hilton Head Island

Charles Scureman Strauch, a visionary leader, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and devoted family man, passed away peacefully just short of his 91st birthday on May 10, 2026, in his home on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Born into the generation that helped shape modern America, Charles built an extraordinary career marked by leadership, innovation, and perseverance. A 1957 graduate of Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, he spent much of his professional life leading and revitalizing technology companies. His career included service as Chairman and founder of GAServices, Chairman and CEO of PairGain Technologies, President and CEO of MSI Data, Chairman and CEO of Magnusson Computer Systems, President of Memorex, and Executive Vice President of Gould Inc. For the last 30 years of his life, he dedicated himself to providing lines of credit to small businesses, continuing his lifelong commitment to small business entrepreneurship and economic opportunity.

Beyond his education and career, Charles was a passionate advocate for education and school choice, supporting initiatives aimed at providing opportunity for disadvantaged communities, often with little fanfare or desire for public recognition. He was a founding Trustee, major benefactor, and Chairman Emeritus of Landmark College, the internationally recognized institution dedicated to the education of young adults with learning differences.

His life was guided by a deep love of country and an abiding faith in the character, resilience, and potential of everyday Americans. He had an uncommon respect for the ordinary man; the workers, teachers, parents, veterans, and community leaders who steadfastly build and sustain our great nation. Throughout his life he expressed profound gratitude for his wife of 60 years, his family, and the abundant opportunities this country provided to him and other individuals willing to work hard, take risks, and persevere through adversity.

To his children and grandchildren, he credited his success to the fortune of having been born, not to privilege or circumstance, but to the values instilled by his parents, the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation and beyond, and God’s abiding, watchful eye. He frequently shared his guiding philosophy: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”

His vibrant and beloved wife, Nan, predeceased him in 2018. Charles is survived by their five children, 16 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren who will carry forward his legacy of determination, resilience, optimism, and service.