Hanover, NH – Charles Lowndes Conquest, 62, died Tuesday afternoon, October 11, 2016 at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH of complications from a cerebral hemorrhage.

He was born February 4, 1954 in Baltimore, MD, the son of Pleasanton (Lawes) and Julia (Henry) Conquest. He grew up and attended schools in Baltimore, including the Boys' Latin School of Maryland. Formal education was not to be part of Charley's path, and he "took to the open road." He worked for a time as a copy boy for the Baltimore News American and then later as a sometime actor, finally settling in Chestertown MD to teach himself the guitar and woodworking. He spoke fondly of that solitary time of studious application where he perfected a lifestyle of practice, study and meals of noodles and broccoli.

Charley eventually found his way to New Hampshire taking jobs where he could until he met his first mentor, David Coburn, where he learned the music business and craft of instrument repair and luthiery while working at Coburn's Vintage Fret Shop in Ashland, NH.

In 1974 he moved to the Upper Valley and in 1975, with a handful of guitars, opened Hanover Strings music store in a second floor space on Main St. in Hanover, NH. In those early anxious days, he worried each time he sold a guitar he would not be able to replace it. However, in an era of declining small retail stores, Hanover Strings was to become one of the longest continuously running single owner businesses on Main Street.

During those years he developed his craft and his musical range. He is a renowned restorer of guitars and other stringed instruments and he diligently taught his craft to all who came to work for him. Charley enjoyed nothing more than introducing others to the joy of playing an instrument. He had recently been making and playing mandolins and was avidly developing and polishing a repertoire of traditional Celtic music which he played every Thursday night in the Hanover Salt Hill Pub sessions.

In the back room of his store, in the 90s he also started, with his partner Wes Talbot, Fresh Music, a music production library, producing original royalty free production music for the media industry. Fresh Music was sold in 1999.

In 1977 Charley met his future wife, Wendy Burns. They were married in 1981 and lived for many years in rural Windsor, VT, moving in 1994 to Hanover NH. Charlie was an avid Squash player, a devoted Buddhist, and active member of the Pema Osel Do Ngak Choling Buddhist study and practice center in Vershire, VT.

Charley will be especially remembered for his immense patience, warmth and generosity. He strived to find the best in people and help them to bring it forth. He was an original thinker, always ready to share his unconventional insights and sense of the joy and absurdity of life

Charley is survived by his wife, Wendy Burns Conquest of Hanover, NH, their son, William Miles Conquest and his wife, Evelyne Fatou Conquest of San Diego, CA; two grandchildren, William Charles Ngomaak Conquest and Magnolia Kherame Conquest, both of San Diego, CA; a sister, Julia Aylward of Windsor, VT, niece, Lucy Aylward and nephew, Jonathan Aylward both of Windsor, VT; niece Audrey Burns of Fairfield CT; niece Bond Longley of South Londonderry, VT and nephew Chance Longley of Winhall, VT.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Sangdo Palri Temple of Wisdom and Compassion, MSB, PO Box 128, Crestone CO, 81131. A memorial concert is planned for December and information will be available through Hanover Strings info@hanoverstrings.com