Charles “Chuck” Winship

Charles Winship

1940 - 13 October 2013

By Judy Tripp-Neu of the Valley View.

Chuck Winship was the proprietor of the Sugarbush Hollow maple syrup farm in Springwater NY.

The passing of Charles “Chuck” Winship on Sunday, October 14, has left a large void in our community. Chuck was the founder and CEO of Sugarbush Hollow Maple Farm on the east hill of Springwater and although he was not a native to this area, he was a treasure to his family, friends and neighbors.

After a lengthy career in management at Xerox Corporation, Chuck went back to college to get his master’s degree in Agriculture specializing in the intricacies of maple syrup production. With a great deal of faith and curiosity he set about learning as much as possible about the property he purchased on Pardee Road, built the sap house and began producing maple syrup. Because the property was not on a main thoroughfare, he was not certain people would come, but they did and with the help of his family, and friends old and new, the business found success.

Chuck did not confine his talents to simply making maple syrup and maple products, he also involved himself in the community. He opened his beloved sugar bush and the property to fundraisers including the Springwater GALA, and the Fiddler’s Fair. Often times, the Springwater Trails hiking group held their after hike socials at his place. Many classes of school children visited the area over the years and the children went home full of stories about the maple syrup farm. He always found time and had the patience to explain things to the youngsters in the hopes of inspiring some of them to love the work that he chose after a lengthy successful career in business management.

He cared about the little Fingerlakes area and preserving our natural resources for future generations. He belonged to several groups associated with maple syrup production and farming, and was generous in sharing his research with his alma mater, Cornell University, and other maple syrup producers. He loved to talk about the sugar bush, the natural beauty of the area, and was keen on keeping the area as pristine as possible.

He touched many lives and. every place I went this week I have heard stories of how he helped others. He was instrumental in offering advice to the former Supervisor on how to improve the Larry Canute Memorial Park drawing from his previous experience of work with the Recreation and Parks committee in the Fairport/Perinton area. He genuinely loved to be around people and enjoyed working in the various farmers’ markets realizing that if he was to sell his products in these venues he could also help others to be successful selling their wares.

He leaves his son and daughter, John and Dori and their spouses; the mother of his children, Joyce Winship, and his beloved companion and friend, Pam Masterson. He also leaves seven cherished grandchildren, and two nieces and two nephews. Many of the family members are already involved in the day-to-day operation of the farm and have been since its inception.