Charles Pelletier
Charles Pelletier, 87, of Litchfield, died on Saturday, Nov. 9 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua, after a brief period of declining health.
Charlie was born in Nashua, the son of George and Elinor, and graduated from Nashua High School in 1954. He considered Nashua his home, growing up on Cherry Street and buying his first home on Conant Road, where he lived for 40 years.
His world revolved around his wife of 64 years, Barbara, whom he called “the best decision I ever made.” Charlie and Barbara met at Henry’s Diner and had a short courtship that resulted in marriage six months later, on March 4, during a late-season snowstorm. The couple celebrated their wedding with egg and olive sandwiches and a night away in Boston.
They built a life together focused on family and adventures, spending summer vacations at Hampton Beach and traveling by car to Florida, Myrtle Beach and even a cross-country road trip, which Charlie documented in a notebook with lists of hotel stops and daily mileage stats. The couple enjoyed time at casinos, in cribbage leagues and played thousands of card games together. Charlie was proud to have managed to get an elusive 29-hand in cribbage.
Charlie loved deeply and was immensely proud of his sons, Mike and Jeff, his grandsons, Shawn and Cody, and his granddaughters, Lily and Sadie. He often shared with pride projector-run slideshows of old family pictures, and as technology advanced, enjoyed time with Lily and Sadie on his lap swiping through photos on his iPad and telling family stories.
In the early years, Charlie worked as a soda jerk at a downtown Nashua soda shop, before joining the Air Force, where he was stationed in Turkey and Japan. He returned to Nashua to land a sought-after job at Nashua Corp, where he started as a night janitor. During his late-night shifts, he would leave love notes for Barbara, who worked in the billing department during the day. He retired from Nashua Corp as a production manager in 1994 after 35 years with the company.
During retirement, he enjoyed time with his family, traveling, playing cards and listening to Red Sox broadcasts. He enjoyed dining out and was a regular at many area restaurants.
Charlie lived a life of kindness, optimism and companionship, greeting people with a smile and making friends wherever he went. His family invites you to celebrate Charlie’s life by bringing positivity to others and raising a Manhattan in a toast in his honor.
He is predeceased by his parents, George and Elinor, and his sisters, Lillian Brunelle and Mabel Mortlock, who died just three weeks before him. In addition to his wife, Barbara, Charlie is survived by his sons, Mike Pelletier of Milford and Jeff Pelletier and his wife, Teresa, of North Andover, Mass.; his sister, Mary Anne Jordan, and her husband, David, of Pawcatuck, Connecticut; grandsons, Shawn and Cody Pelletier, granddaughters, Lily and Sadie Pelletier; great-granddaughter, Malina Pelletier, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Friends and family are invited to celebrate Charlie’s life at ROCHETTE FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES, 21 Kinsley Street, Nashua. Calling hours will be held on Monday, Nov. 18th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., with a presentation of military honors at Woodlawn Cemetery immediately following. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Charlie’s name to Community Hospice House, 7 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, NH 03054. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ANCTIL-ROCHETTE.com