Charles Patterson Van Pelt was the son of Dr. and Mrs. David Van Pelt. Charles was shot and killed at age 19 in Potter County, PA while hiking with a friend. They were mistaken for robbers. At his death in September, 1952, he was a sophomore at Harvard, a member of the Glee Club and was an honor student. Charles also enjoyed playing squash and tennis.

The Van Pelts were descendants of Joseph Turner, a Trustee of the University, 1749-1779, and Dr. David Van Pelt attended the College Collateral Courses for Teachers at the University during the 1940's, hence the Penn connection. The University also gave David Van Pelt an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1963 for his benefaction toward the construction of Van Pelt Library.