Cochituate: Charles H. Bracken Jr., 84, died on Tuesday evening, March 2, 2010 at the Framingham Union Hospital following a brief illness.
He was born on August 29, 1925 in Framingham the son of the late Charles H. Bracken Sr. and Dorothy (Naphen) Bracken.
Mr. Bracken was the beloved father of Peter K. Bracken and his wife Edith M. (Gladu) Bracken of Natick; Christine H. Bracken and her spouse Rebecca Hallstrom of Framingham; Marie E. Bracken of Southbridge; Paul Bracken of Framingham; John Bracken of Glens Falls, NY; Robert Bracken of Framingham and Edward Bracken of Framingham. He was the sister of Dorothy Coughlin of Reading. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, several cousins, nieces and nephews. Mr. Bracken was the husband of the late Eileen M. (Keefe) Bracken who died in February of 1994.
Charles has been a resident of Wayland for over 48 years and previously resided in Framingham where he also spent his youth. He was a graduate of Framingham High School with the Class of 1943. He served his country proudly during World War II with the United States Army as a Private First Class. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for meritorious achievement in ground combat against the armed enemy during World War II in the European African Middle Eastern Theater of Operations and for wounds received in action. He had a long and successful career with the United States Postal Service in the Framingham locations and retired in 1972 as a Postal Supervisor. He was a longtime communicant of St. Zepherins Church in Cochituate and was devoted to his faith. He loved to golf, play shuffleboard at his winter home in St. Petersburg, FL and was an accomplished professional photographer in the local area. He was a member of the Framingham Elks, the DAV and the VFW both of Natick. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.
Visitations will be held on Friday, March 5, 2010 from 3:00 to 8:00 pm in the Bryant Memorial Chapel of the John C. Bryant Funeral Home, 56 Pemberton Road (Off Route 30), Cochituate.
Family and friends are invited to gather at the funeral home on Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 9:00 am followed by his Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am at St. Zepherins Church, 99 Main St (Route 27) Cochituate.
Interment will follow in the Bracken family lot in Lakeview Cemetery in Cochituate.
For on-line condolences and directions, please visit www.johncbryantfuneralhome.com.