Charlie Carleton

Charles Frederick Carleton Jr., 75, of Longmeadow, passed away on January 24, 2026. Born November 30, 1950 in Haverhill, New Hampshire; the son of Charles F Carleton Sr. and Helen Grace Thurston. Raised in Connecticut, Charlie graduated from Enfield High School in 1969, went to Western New England College and became a Master Electrician. He first worked at Ruggiero Electric and later started up his own business, Carleton Electric. Charlie was proud to be the on-call electrician for Geissler's supermarket, Felician Sisters, CT water company and various businesses in the North-Central CT area. Charlie was dedicated to not only fixing things for others but showing them how to fix it themselves. He shared his love and knowledge for the trade onto others.

Charlie was known for his vibrant "light up the room" energy, his selflessness, his compassion, and his ever-present sense of humor. Many of you knew him as an electrician, but just as many knew him from his time spent at Pizza Palace / Jimmy's Pub on Route 5, where he'd play pool and tell everyone to smile more and worry less. He was also a familiar face at the Pioneer Valley Yacht Club in Longmeadow, where he loved cruising along the river on friends' boats.

A lifelong musician, Charlie's love for music began in his youth. He played clarinet and trombone in high school and later taught himself guitar and electric keyboard. In the '70s and '80s, Charlie played in bands like The Mechanics and The Mystics, performing at gigs throughout CT and MA. You could always find him dancing, jamming to a good beat, and living in the moment.

Charlie was most known for helping anyone at whatever hour and in whatever weather, meeting his former wife, Pelusa, because he and his father were so quick to help others. His last act as an electrician was spending six hours helping a friend restart their heating system, despite being mostly blind in one eye.

When Charlie's daughter, Samantha, was born, she became the center of his world. He shared his love for music with her, passed down his passion for shooting guns, and taught her the importance of compassion, selflessness, and lending a helping hand. She was the apple of his eye, and everything he did was rooted in ensuring she knew the value of kindness and generosity.

Charlie is survived by his daughter, Samantha Carleton, his future son-in-law, Ross Cowieson, his stepson, Alfredo Clemente Orejuela, his former wife, Maricarmen Orejuela Perales (Pelusa), his cousin, Larry Eastman, and countless friends. He is also reunited with his beloved dogs Lady, Osito, and his grand-pup Archie, and leaves behind another grand-pup, Molly. Charlie's family is forever grateful for the compassionate care he received from the nurses and doctors at Baystate Medical, Tufts Medical Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , as well as his OT/PT/ Speech therapists and especially his PCP, Dr. O'Neil.

In honor of Charlie, donations are encouraged to be made to the Neely House at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, or the Dakin Animal Shelter in Springfield.

A Graveside Service will take place on Saturday, March 28 at 11:00 am at Hazardville Cemetery, Enfield. For online condolences please visit www.leetestevens.com.