Lewellyn Pelletier

Lewellyn "Lew" Pelletier, 81, of Manchester, Connecticut, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Monday, July 7, 2025, at Hartford Hospital.
Lew was born in Fort Kent, Maine on March 22, 1944, and carried his love and many fond memories of Fort Kent and the family homestead throughout his life. He moved to West Hartford at the age of 9, graduated from Conard High School in 1962, and continued on to receive a post-graduate degree from A.I. Prince Technical High School where he honed his skills as a mechanic.
Lew and Mary Ann were high school sweethearts and were married on May 2, 1964, at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Hartford. They had recently celebrated the 65th anniversary of their first date and 61 years of marriage. Lew and Mary Ann made their home in Manchester where they raised their six children. Lew was a devout Catholic and a communicant of Saint James Church for more than 55 years. The family fondly remembers when he used his tow truck to raise the bell in the tower. Lew and Mary Ann were great partners; he worked hard to support his family while Mary Ann kept things running at home and managing the businesses' finances. Lew was so proud of his family and loved holidays and family gatherings when everyone could be together.
Lew was a highly talented mechanic in town and ran his own business, first as Lew's Sunoco at 404 Hartford Road and then Lew Pelletier's Auto Service at 110 Center Street in Manchester where he opened in 1978. During this time he had many loyal customers and he made many lifelong friends who fondly remember him for his kindness, talent, integrity, fairness, and great sense of humor. He truly was a legend to those who knew and loved him. His children and grandchildren, who affectionately called him "Pepere," all regarded him as their hero – he could do and fix anything.
In addition to his love of working on cars, Lew enjoyed skeet and trap shooting, had won state and national championships, was a member of several sportsman's clubs including the Andover Sportsman's Club and Marlboro Fish & Game Association. Lew also had the innate ability to look at something that was run down, whether a car or property, and see the hidden gem within it. He restored a number of antique cars, renovated his home several times, and in his "spare time" turned his talents to buying some properties and improving them. One property received a Cheney Historic Preservation Award for beautifully restoring a property in Manchester's historic area. Lew's talents and ingenuity shone brightest when he was trying to figure out how to solve an issue with a challenging repair – there was nothing more awe inspiring than seeing the expression on his face when he figured out a different way to fix it. Lew truly loved learning – he was a remarkable man of integrity who loved his community and his country.
Lew is survived by his wife Mary Ann (Connors) Pelletier; his children Kimberly (Bobby) Ashton, Cheri (Todd) Eckbreth, Lori (Susan Newell DVM) Pelletier, Brian (Bonnie) Pelletier, and Keri (Jason) Fuller; his former daughter-in-law Jennifer Thompson and her daughter Abigail Thompson; his grandchildren Jeremy (Aimee) Sprague, Janelle Sprague, Connor Pelletier, Madison (Matthew) Steffano, Brittany (Kelly) Sandberg, Makenzi Pelletier, Mason Pelletier, Brady Fuller, Bryce Eckbreth, and Gavin Newell; his great granddaughter, Ariana Skidgel; his sister Phylis (Ronney) Roy and his nephew David Roy and his children Dylan and Sophia Roy. Lew also had special step grandchildren whom he loved and enjoyed spending time with.
Lew leaves behind many cousins and dear friends, a testament to his great character and personality. Lew was especially close to his cousin Mel (Nancy) Charette and his lifelong friend Raymond Couture who honored their friendship with an everlasting gift of building Lew's casket. Lew was also affectionately known as "Mr. P" by many of his children's friends, who revered Lew as their mentor and role model. Lew would always light up when any of the friends came by and he was genuinely interested in how they were doing.
Lew was predeceased by his parents, Aurele and Regina (Charette) Pelletier, his brother Lester, and his nephew Matthew Roy whom Lew missed very much. Lew's greatest losses were his son Kevin, and we are comforted to know that Lew is with him now, catching up on lost time and working on cars together in heaven, and his great grandchild, Oliver Jason Sprague.
Family and friends may call at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center Street, Manchester, on Monday, July 21, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 22, at 10:00 a.m. at Saint James Church, 896 Main Street, Manchester. Burial will follow the funeral at Saint James Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Saint James School Foundation, Inc., PO Box 254, Manchester, CT 06045-0254. Donations may also be made online at .
The family of Lew Pelletier wishes to thank the many caregivers at Hartford Hospital for their skilled and compassionate care. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Lewellyn, please visit our Tree Store.