Obituary of Charles Denihan

Charles Tully Denihan, 28, of New York City, passed away suddenly on Sunday evening, March 16, 2014. Charlie was the loving son of Benjamin and Barbara Denihan; brother of Kate and Tully Denihan and Chrissy Denihan O’Donovan; brother-in-law to Kevin O’Donovan; godfather to Bud O’Donovan, and loving uncle, as well as friend to all. Charlie was a third generation member of the family’s hotel investment and management company, Denihan Hospitality Group, founded by his grandfather Benjamin J. “Bud” Denihan in New York City in 1963. Although the youngest of four siblings, Charlie had an extraordinary bond with his slightly older, special needs brother Tully, and was a ‘big’ brother to him from the moment he was born. Charlie grew up in Manhattan where he attended St. David’s School, and later graduated from Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Mass. where – as both a peer counselor and cheerleader – he became known for his larger-than-life personality, a trait that followed him through the rest of his life. Charlie earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration with a concentration in Finance, Accounting and Real Estate. In addition to his involvement in the family business, Charlie was passionate about music, musical artists and technology. He took an avid role in various start-up technology and ventures, as a founder of Silver Lake to Soho, a cross-platform digital promotion and tour operator for emerging musical artists and as CO-CEO of Vokoder FM, a music web application. Charlie lived life to the fullest and found a way to look at the brightest side of everything. He believed in the possibilities of the dreams of those he knew and loved as fervently as he believed in his own. Those who met Charlie consistently walked away moved by his presence, knowing well that he was a friend who would always be there when it really counted. Charlie’s zest for life was contagious and he could light up a room with his smile. Handsome, genuine, funny and magnetic, he inherited his family’s generosity, and as many say, would gladly give anyone the shirt off his back. His philanthropic interests included The Benedictine Foundation, The Miami Project, Operation Smile and The Fresh Air Fund. In repose at Frank Campbell Funeral Home, 1076 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10028, Friday March 21 from 2-5pm and 7-9pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Ignatius Loyola, 980 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10028, Saturday at 9:30am. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Benedictine Foundation, 14299 Benedictine Lane, Ridgley, MD, 21660; http://benschool.org/foundation.html