Charles Guagliardi

Charles (Chuck) E. Guagliardi, age 91, of Erie died on Friday August 15, 2014 at UPMC Hamot. He was born in Warren, OH on October 28th, 1922 to the late Frank and Frances Napolitan Guagliardi, Chuck was the eldest son from a family of five children.

He and his family moved to Erie’s Little Italy at a young age and attended area schools. Upon graduation from Strong Vincent High School, Chuck was hired by General Electric Company. During WWII, he enlisted in the Army and served as an Air Corpsman in the Pacific Theater. He returned to Erie’s GE after the War and was employed for forty-four years, retiring as a production and marketing specialist.

Chuck met his partner for life, Cecelia Grumblatt (Ceil) at Angelotti’s Supper Club. They married in 1947, settled on West 24th Street and raised six children. A skilled gardener well into his golden years, Chuck took great pride growing vegetables, especially his tomatoes. He was a skilled winemaker, golfer and bocce player. Chuck loved listening to jazz and dancing to Big Bands. Sundays found Chuck and his family at Presque Isle enjoying picnics or walks along the beach or trails or bayside’s Perry Monument. Upon retirement, Chuck and Ceil loved traveling to visit family and friends scattered around the country.

Chuck was a lifelong member of Knights of Columbus and Ushers Society and a member of the GE Quarter Century Club, East Erie Turner’s, Erie Times Newsies and American Legion Post #771 . He was a member of Blessed Sacrament Church where he volunteered at the Food Bank and continued to usher in his last years.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Louis Guagliardi and two sisters, Kathryn Zatynski and Antoinette Guagliardi. Surviving family includes his wife, Ceil, of 67 years, three sons; Charles F. (Chuck, Jr.) Guagliardi and wife Paula Michalegko of Erie, John Guagliardi and his wife Yukie of Mililani, HI, and Gary Guagliardi and wife Sherri of Nazareth, PA, three daughters; Paula and husband Eugene Schaefer of Hillsborough, NJ, Natalie and husband Gordon Watts of Stone Mountain, GA, and Nancy and husband Bradley Madara of Erie, a brother Leonard Guagliardi, of CA. He is also survived by twelve grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Friends may call at the Burton Westlake Funeral Home 3801 W. 26th Street (at Powell Ave) on Thursday, from 4 to 7 p.m. and on Friday at St. Mary’s Asbury Ridge Chapel 4855 West Ridge Road, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:00 a.m with Rev. Leo Gallina presiding. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Erie Homes for Children and Adults 226 E. 27th Street, Erie, PA 16504 or to St. Mary’s Home of Erie 607 E. 26th Street, Erie, PA 16504.

Send condolences at www.Burtonfuneralhoime.com <http://www.Burtonfuneralhoime.com>

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