Charles Pumilia

Charles Anthony Pumilia, age 84, was called to heaven on Saturday, October 25, 2014. He was a native of New Orleans and resident of Metairie, LA. Beloved husband by second marriage to Marjorie Donovan Pumilia and the late Ina McNamara Pumilia, the mother of his three loving daughters: Charlene Jeffrey-Adams (Keith), Barbara Morel Boyle and Maxine Ross Kouloubis. Stepfather to Lisa Graves (Bill), Gary Napolitano (Jamie), Darrin Napolitano (Marcela Montes), Wendy Williamson (Joey), Patrick Randon, Lindsey Schulkens, Matthew Adams (Angela), Kirsten Adams, and Keith Adams Jr. (Lauren). Grandfather of Brian, Jessica, Jamie, Keith, Cameron, Meghan, Merrin, Brady, Reese, Dominic, Nolan and Alice. He was great-grandfather to 11. He had two caring and loving sisters Rosa Pumilia and Angelina Favalora and a brother, Anthony Pumilia, who predeceased him. Also surviving is his barking protective dog “Sami”, numerous relatives and friends.

Charlie served proudly in the Armed Forces during the Korean Conflict and also served in Germany. He was a proud, self-made man who, beginning at the age of 12 was so determined to go to Holy Cross High School that he was taught the art of butchering, and made enough money for the $63 per year tuition. Upon first meeting people with his large smile and shake of the hand, his two first questions would be, “where is your family from and where did you go to high school?”

Heaven forbid anyone say Holy Cross because the rest of us could not get involved in the conversation.

Charlie taught his daughters how to be strong from experiencing tremendous personal grief from the loss of his first wife at the age of 52 and thus enabled them to carry on his strength to the rest of the family.

In 1990 he married Marjorie Donovan and his life came once again to fruition, which also expanded his family, and they all felt his love. Charlie loved animals and had a collection of over 50 friends who were parakeets in his backyard at any one time.

In 1975 Charlie met a stranger in a doctor’s office and had a conversation that garnered the quote that Charlie lived by, “I just keep pushing on.” That quote he lived every day until he left the burden to his family to be strong and for them to keep pushing on.

Visitation will be held at LAKE LAWN METAIRIE FUNERAL HOME on Monday, November 3, 2014 from 1 to 2 p.m. with services immediately to follow. Interment will follow in Lake Lawn Park. In lieu of flowers donations to The Louisiana SPCA, www.la-spca./org