Charles Samuel Rotondi

Charles Samuel Rotondi passed away on Friday, March 7, 2025. He is 89 years of age

Born on Tuesday, May 7, 1935 in Woburn, Charles is the loving son of the late Charles Rotondi and Isabella (Pesaturo) Rotondi. Charles is a warm, kind, loving, loyal and hard working son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend who will be deeply missed.

Charles S. Rotondi

Town of Stoneham Hall of Fame (Hockey)

May 7, 1935 – March 7, 1925

Charles S Rotondi May 7, 1935 – March 7, 1925

Charles S Rotondi (Charlie) since he was small always wanted to be in the construction business. His father Charles senior helped build a substantial road building company (S. Rotondi and Sons). Charlie had many good memories of going to job sites with his father absorbing the road work projects throughout the state. His young life was filled with much joy and family life. Unfortunately, his father passed when he was only 12 years old. This had a profound impact on him and the immediate family for a long time. Even though this was a setback that he would carry with him for the rest of his life, he still pursued construction work.

From a young age Charlie liked to work, so one of his first jobs was working at Weiss Farm and this turned into a long forgotten tradition around town that took place in the 1940’s. He was an ice cream “Pony Boy”. Yes, Charlie was one of the few in town who delivered ice cream to kids by a cart pulled by a pony!

A huge bright spot in Charlie’s High School career in Stoneham was playing Hockey. For his final two years of High School 1952 & 1953 his team won the State Championship two years in a row at the Boston Garden. His team was inducted into the Stoneham High Hall of Fame.

Early in his working life, Charlie joined local 4 as an operating engineer where he was able to run many difference pieces of heavy equipment for road building and construction. He soon focused on the Gradall as a unique all purpose machine with many different digging and grading attachments. This became his specially and he was known for being one, if not the best, Gradall operators in New England, which he did for over 45 years. He also started a company C&F equipment rental (Charlie and brother Frank). Charlie and Frank were also know for there loud and colorful disagreements. Family businesses can be tough, but they worked together for many years.

The next and maybe best decision Charlie made or maybe it was just (Irish luck) was meeting Anne Howley/Bergstrom. They dated and married on February 6, 1965, where they just recently celebrated there 60th wedding anniversary. Even though Ann was working as a chief x-ray technician, she hung it up to raise two boys Charles and Michael. They built a house right next to his sister Antoinette (Dolly)which is only a few hundred feet away from there childhood home with mom Isabella. It was an idyllic spot with family very close and many good memories of family parties, holidays and Christmas traditions of taking turns as Santa. Like many Italian families sometimes those parties ended up in a family argument between the brothers and sisters. Yet the food was consistently good. When it came to his work and operation of the Gradall's Charlie loved it and Anne commented many times that Charlie was married to the machines and she was just the girlfriend.

Charlie was a great dad and husband and we did many activities together and took many trips usually to Anne’s parent’s home in NH, where it was like a second home. It was another family with great traditions and offered quality family time with skiing and fishing on the river. There was also great dirt bike - ATV trips and fond memories with grade school and high school friends up in NH. Charlie participated and drove an ATV and did his best to keep up.

As time passed with high school graduations and then college both boys had the opportunity to work with or maybe I should say “work for” Charlie. It is fortunate to be able to work with and experience your father at the peak of his abilities and share that real work experience including life lessons. No sugar coating when on the job, which my cousin Ricky Marks can attest too. He had many productive years working for the MBTA up on the rails, in the city T stations and rail yards.

It was my father in 1993 who suggested that I run for Stoneham Town Moderator since I majored in Political Science in college. Charlie was an avid town meeting participant and was not afraid to buck convectional thoughts. I ran and won the first time and went on to serve in that elected role for 17 years. Did Charlie hold back when his son was running the town meetings? Not one bit. It was an Ironic and interesting dynamic during the few times I had to interrupt him.

After many years of hard work Charlie finally retired. He did not like the new electronic joy stick machines. It was only old school hydraulics for him.

Anne and Charlie started a new adventure and began to travel and take many different trips around the world together, but mostly to FL for six months at a time then back to NH for the summer to Anne’s family cottage on the river. They enjoyed there retirement for almost 20 years thanks to Anne the traveler and planner. Charlie lucked out again and went along for the ride.

During that time they welcomed the next generation, first Lukas Charles Rotondi and then Kathryn Anne Rotondi. The grand children finally came! My mom thought there was only going to be grand dogs. Even though they were both over the moon they still went down to FL for six months. When Lukas and Katie were young we spent several weeks a year down in FL on the beach with both Charlie and Anne. They are wonderful memories.

Unfortunately, in her early 80’s Anne experienced a rare condition that severely limited the use of her legs. This begrudgingly ended the FL trips otherwise they would have added another 7 years of travel. This new challenge was meet by Charlie who took care of Anne and made things livable for many more years together. Ironically, this challenge meant spending four years at Charlie’s childhood home on Franklin Street. Back to where he started. I would routinely get call from friends and Cousin Justin asking why my father was using a power saw in his late eighties? If you knew Charlie, how do you stop him? It reminded me of his mother Isabella who at the same location would both tell me and show me how to shovel snow at age 90.

In the end, after a long life and hard work, his late life aliments slowed Charlie way down, especially in the last year. Despite these challenges, Katie and Lukas got to have a warm relationship with Grammie and Grampy right across the street. Charlie was blessed with years of life where quality time becomes the most precious thing. Charlie, Dad, and Grampy you have earned a well deserved rest. Now you can embrace heaven with your mom, dad, Dolly, Frank and all family members that have gone before us. We love you and miss you.

Your eternally grateful and loving son Michael J Rotondi

Michael J Rotondi

Charles is the beloved husband of Anne (Howley) Rotondi. He is the devoted father of Charles J. Rotondi and Michael J. Rotondi. The cherished grandfather of Lukas C. Rotondi and Kathryn A. Rotondi, Charles is the dear brother of Joan Doucette and her husband Paul, the late Antoinette Marks and her late husband Richard and the late Frank Rotondi. He is the doting uncle of Richard Marks, Tracy Marks, Lisa Demos, Stephanie Grimes, Christina DiVirgilio, PJ Doucette, Kevin Doucette and the late Chucky Marks and the late Gregory Rotondi.

Funeral from the Barile Family Funeral Home, 482 Main Street (RT 28) STONEHAM on Thursday, March 13th at 9am followed by a Funeral Mass Celebrating Charles’ Eternal Life in Saint Patrick Church, 71 Central Street Stoneham at 10am. Family and friends are cordially invited to gather and share memories with Charles’ Family on Wednesday, March 12th from 4-7pm in the Funeral Home. Parking attendants and elevator are available. Interment Saint Patrick’s Cemetery, Stoneham.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in Charles’ memory to The American Heart Association or American Stroke Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692 or by referring to the link below.

For more information, www.facebook.com/BarileFamilyFuneralHome