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Dr. Peter Charland

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Plainville High School Adelphi University La Salle University

Peter Charland Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Jun. 10, 2004.

Dr. Peter Charland
1945 - 2004
SOUTHWICK-Dr. Peter Charland, 58, of Southwick, Mass was gently lifted into the arms of his Lord on June 9, 2004, at his home, in the loving presence of his loving family. He was born September 21, 1945 and raised in Plainville, Connecticut. In 1963 he graduated from Plainville High School where he met his bride Betty Holcomb. He earned two Masters degree from Adelphi University and a Ph.D from La Salle University. For more than 30 years he maintained a private practice in psychotherapy, primarily helping children with attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities. He leaves behind his wife Betty, 9 children and 5 grandchildren. His son Michael who lives in Westfield with his wife, Andrea and child, Ryan Peter. His son Kevin, also in Westfield, wtih his wife Amy and children, Deborah and Kevin Jr. A son Robert, in Maryland and his children, Melanie and Eric. He leaves his daughters Kathy, Amie, Monique, and Zeanea and sons Joseph and Peter Jr., all at home, and many dear friends who will forever cherish his memory. Calling hours are at Southwick Funeral Home at 624 College Highway on Friday June 11 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. A memorial service celebrating Peter's life will be held at Christ Lutheran Church at 568 College Highway Southwick on Saturday, June 12 at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to benefit cancer cure research. Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Attn: Contribution Services, 10 Brookline Place West, Sixth Floor, Brookline, MA 02445.

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Recent Activity

September 16, 2018

Maurice Barboza posted to the memorial.

June 30, 2004

C. Caron posted to the memorial.

June 15, 2004

Ruth Hart posted to the memorial.

9 Entries

Maurice Barboza

September 16, 2018

To the Family of Peter Charland,

I grew up on the east side of Ruth Hart's house and we did, indeed, climb trees in her magical backyard. Ruth and the tree are gone and the entire property is empty but I can still see it. There was an old apple tree beside the big garage whose branches were big enough to fit two children inside the cavities that the decay had caused. It was like a plump mothering object of nature, still dropping tiny green apples -- good for throwing and good for the worms. But she gave us shade on the hot summer days. There could be seven or more of us nestled in her arms. Peter was always the one to climb to the highest branches. He was a dare devil. He was the one with the courage to hop Mr. Powers' fence to retrieve an errant baseball drawn to hiding among the low leaves of the garden. When Mr. Powers would survey his plants the next evening, he'd note someone was in his garden. We wondered how he could tell, since Peter did his best to tip toe around the plants and cover his tracks.

My mother and father liked Peter. I think it had to do with his unique outgoing personality. The rest of us were rather dull in comparison. He always had what we called an English bike (3 speeds in a one-speed town) with a basket. One day my mother asked him if he could pick up a role of tar paper for me (rather heavy) at the Plainville Lumber Co. Peter was tall and strong and the weight didn't bother him. I remember he was smiling when he returned to where I was completing the construction of a cabin on the corner of my yard. A year later Peter had one, too. His had a good view of mine and a clear shot (literally) of where I camped out on Sunday morning after mass. One morning I heard tapping on the walls as I was trying to sleep. I got out and looked around. I put 2 and 2 together and kept an eye on Peter's fort for movement. Sure enough, he was responsible for the popping pellets.
The Mills family lived on the west side of Peter's yard. The two sons were much older than us and no longer were thinking about riding the three or more old bikes rotting on the edge of their garden. They were now into motorcycles, like their father. Since I was always looking for projects and had one bike with a defective back wheel, I made multiple attempts to persuade Mr. Mills to gift me the rusting bikes. Finally, he said he would give me two of them but that he felt he had to give one to Peter. Several weeks later, I was visiting Peter in his garage and over in the corner sat the 3rd old bike. He pointed at it and said, "Maurice, why don't you take that bike. I don't have any use for it." With that third bike I had enough viable parts to build an entire bike that actually ran well.

Once every summer, the neighborhood kids would fill Aunt Marie's car for a trip to Lake Compounce. One year, we were especially excited because she had just purchased a new car with a push-button transmission, maybe a Valiant. In the summer of 1958, Peter came riding over and came to a quick stop that rustled the dust -- obviously with important news. He said, "there's a Hollywood film company making a movie at the old train station. We spread the word and the whole neighborhood, including Ruth, rode over to see what was happening. They were filming a Doris Day movie along the railroad tracks in several towns. Our station was the nexus but not the subject of anything except a card game between Jack Lemon, Ernie Kovacs and others. We observed the camaraderie with awe. None of us had seen celebrities before. At least one kid, Pat Ryder, who stood out dangling her autograph book over the Dutch door caught the eye of Mr. Lemon. He walked over to us and signed her book. I never saw the movie, "It Happened to Jane" until a few years ago. It was a nice kids movie of the period also starring the sons of Mickey Rooney.

When Peter moved to a new house a mile away, we visited and played board games in the living room. Two months later, the house was three feet under flood waters. When the water subsided, Henry Kusmierz and I returned with Peter to peruse the damage. We could see the water marks on the wall only a few feet from where we had talked and laughed. Peter was a smart guy; that was pretty obvious. He tried very hard to teach me Latin but I wasn't getting it. I wasn't all that keyed up, if at all, to become an altar boy. I miss Peter. I wish I had contacted him years ago when, by coincidence, a friend I worked with in Washington met him in Idaho and explained how he learned Peter was from Plainville and that he worked with a guy, Maurice Barboza, who was also from the town. That was way back in the 1970s. I'm proud Peter had great professional success and raised a wonderful family that has an exceptional example to follow.

Peter had a dog named "Nobie" decades before an urban dictionary would define the word as "a friend that sticks by your side no matter what."

Best wishes,

Maurice Barboza
Formerly of Crown Street, Plainville, CT

C. Caron

June 30, 2004

Dear Mrs. Charland:

Though I had met Dr. Charland only three times recently, he instantly communicated to me to believe in myself in order for me to raise my child on my own.. I left his office with a feeling of deep gratitude and renewed confidence..I could only imagine what he would have been capable of had he stayed on. You and your family are very lucky to have had such a kind man in your life as long as you did..My deepest sympathy to all of you...

C. Caron

Ruth Hart

June 15, 2004

Betty,

I am so sorry for your loss. I grew up next door to Peter when I was a child. We played together, climbed trees together, and the usual things that kids do. He was a part of my childhood, and I will never forget him.

Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Rebecca Willoughby

June 14, 2004

To the Charland family:

My condolences to all of you. I appreciated your father's wit and kind spirit. My prayers are with you.

Rebecca Willoughby

St John's Congregational Church member

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June Pavano Sigman

June 13, 2004

Betty:

I feel like it was yesterday when we graduated from Plainville High School. My deepest sympathy to you and your family. Peter's loss must be huge to all of you. He will always be remembered in my mind as bright, gentle, kind and above all a perfect gentleman. May he be in a place without pain and suffering.

julie lyons

June 12, 2004

DR.CHARLAND,YOU WILL BE MISSED VERY MUCH BY THE VERY MANY PEOPLE YOU HELPED,AND MY SON AND I SEND OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO YOUR FAMILY.

Sherrie Girard

June 11, 2004

Dear Peter,

You helped me more then you'll ever know. You never doubted me, and I thank you for that. You never treated me different or made fun of me. You are the greatest person I had ever met, and it proves to us now, that God only takes the best.

Sue Holcomb

June 10, 2004

Dear Betty,

My deepest sympathy to you and your family at the loss of your beloved husband and father,Peter. You have always been a source of inspiration to me and I will never forget your kindness throughout the years. You're in my thoughts and prayers at this sad and painful time.

Fondly,

Sue

Beverly Tremblay

June 10, 2004

A wonderful man, a wonderful family. We won't forget the nice times at your home and we just want to offer our deepest sympathies.

Bev & Chip Tremblay

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