CHARLES NICOLAS

NICOLAS, Charles Charles A. ("Chuck") Nicolas died June 8, 2024. Chuck was born July 1, 1935 to the late Henry L. and Marion (Ferrari) Nicolas and grew up in the Beachmont neighborhood of Revere. He attended Boston Latin School, where he excelled at Track and Field, but failed spectacularly at mastering the dead language. "I would stare at that damn page for an hour and it just made absolutely no sense to me," he once explained. Following graduation, Chuck enrolled at the United States Coast Guard Academy, but left after his first year, upon realizing that he didn't like people telling him what to do (though he often spoke with great enthusiasm about his time aboard the USCGC Eagle during his "swab summer" cruise to Bermuda). Chuck continued his studies at Northeastern University but, clearly having not thought his plans all the way through, joined the Massachusetts National Guard and, subsequently, the United States Army – two institutions with long histories of telling people what to do. Chuck was stationed in Germany, where his duties involved driving around and blowing up disused WWII bunkers, and waving to his Soviet counterparts across no-man's land. He returned briefly to the States in 1958, having somehow convinced the "prettiest girl in East Boston" to marry him. He and his wife, Claire, would go on to share 65 years of marriage. Upon discharge from the Army in 1961, Chuck worked in the construction engineering and facilities industries. He served as Director of Facilities for the Stop & Shop Companies, the King's Department Store chain, and American Science and Engineering. In later years, he worked as a private consultant. Chuck could build, repair, or fabricate almost anything, if motivated. However, being drafted as his assistant was a dreadful task, knowing that you would somehow have to interpret his indecipherable instructions, such as "Go get me the thing," or "the gidget is busted; run down to the hardware store and get me another one…and don't come back with the wrong kind." This inability to clearly and simply convey directions is the chief reason that, to this day, none of his children consider themselves to be particularly "handy." Together, Chuck and Claire raised their four children in Swampscott, in a very busy and often loud home on Aspen Road. After losing Claire in January of 2024, Chuck remained there -though the house was a lot quieter. Chuck was predeceased by his parents; and his wife, Claire. He is survived by his four children: Peter (Annette) Nicolas of Marblehead, Julie (the late Roger) Montalto of Natick, Erica (Ron) Vener of Marblehead, and Karl (Stephanie) Nicolas of Alexandria, VA. He also leaves his six grandchildren: Danielle, Abigail, Nicolas, Henry, Olivia, and Sophia; as well as the many friends he had collected over the years. He was a good man and he will be missed. Visiting Hours: Services for Charles will be held privately.