Charles Holdsworth Birnie, a retired industrial photographer, died of cancer Saturday at his home in Lady Lake, Fla., where he had lived since 1994. The former Woodlawn and Westminster resident was 81.

Until he retired about 19 years ago, Mr. Birnie was a Bendix Field Engineering photographer.

Born in Philadelphia and raised in the Walbrook section of Baltimore, he attended city public schools and earned a General Educational Development diploma. He also took courses at the Baltimore Institute of Photography.

He served in the Pacific during World War II and was an Army Air Forces photographer.

Mr. Birnie was a member of the Maryland Industrial Professional Photographers Club.

He enjoyed ballroom dancing, and playing tennis and golf, and also coached in the Woodlawn Little League.

Services are private.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, the former Hazel Smelser; two sons, Kenneth Birnie of Finksburg and David Birnie of Manchester; a sister, Elizabeth Limpert of Baltimore; and five grandchildren.