Hudson, MA
Charles “Charlie” Anastas died January 2nd, 2012, at the age of ninety-one, two days after celebrating his sixty-sixth wedding anniversary over brownies and ice cream, with his beloved wife, Grace, and his two children, Chuck and Charlene Street, at the Rose Monahan Hospice in Worcester.
A life long resident of Hudson, he graduated from Hudson High School in 1939. He was the Captain of the 1938 HHS football team and was a two–way player on championship teams in both 1935 and 1936. He also played hockey in the early years of that program. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Navy and served a six year tour of duty during World War II.
For years, Charlie owned the A&A Pizza House and variety store on School Street in Hudson, with his sister and brother–in-law, Ann and Tony Alera. The A&A enjoyed great success as one of the first restaurants offering pizza in the area and the only offering a thin crusted pizza. They sold the A&A to their cousins, Jack and Paul Anastas in 1970.
He also owned a small television repair business in the 1950’s and early 60’s making house calls to replace defective vacuum tubes in early style televisions.
For the final 26 years of his working life, he was a technician at Raytheon in Sudbury. He retired in 1985 and remained at his home on Lamson Ave. He greatly enjoyed golfing with his friends, dinners with his wife, Grace, and her sister Rose Santos, summer trips to Cape Cod, and occasional winter trips to Florida.
But most of all, and for all of his life, he was happy and proud to be a family man. In addition to his cherished sister, Ann Alera, of Meadowbrook Road, and to four other siblings now deceased, George, Rose Margarit, Peter, and Vangie, he kept actively interested in the lives of his eleven nephews and nieces, and of their children, as well, happily attending plays, concerts and, especially, sporting events.
He would do anything for his children, to which they remain eternally grateful. He had great affection for his daughter-in law, Sharon Britton, and son-in-law, Russ Aten. And he fiercely loved his grandchildren: Lara and Chris; Anna and Becca; and was elated, of late, to become a great grandfather to Aiden, Sadie, and Chase.
A celebration of Charlie’s life will be held at the St Luke’s Episcopal Church at 5 Washington Street in Hudson, Friday, January 6th at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow at Forestvale Cemetery, Hudson. Calling Hours will be held on Thursday, January 5th, from 4-7 at the Tighe-Hamilton Funeral Home, Inc. 50 Central Street, Hudson, MA 01749.