NORWICH – Charles J. Pitfido passed away peacefully on May 2, 2008 in Titusville, Fla., surrounded by his children.
 Born in Ava, on June 21, 1924, Charlie was the youngest of nine children born to Anthony and Josephine Piczwajda, immigrants from Poland.
In 1946, he married Gloria Kilbourn who predeceased him in 2005.
An Army veteran of World War II who fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Charlie received four Bronze Stars for valor.  He worked for independent telephone companies throughout his life.  He and his family lived in Norwich, where he was Vice President of the Chenango and Unadilla Telephone Co.  Charlie retired from the Champlain Telephone Company in Champlain.  He was a past president of the New York State Telephone Pioneer Association.
He is survived by six children: James (Pitfido) Pitzvada of Front Royal, Va.; Pat (Gene) Schuler of Kinderhook; Chris Loscavio of Canton, Ga.; John (Joanne) Pitfido of Yamhill, Ore.; Mary Harrigan of Lawrenceville, Ga.; and Barb (Peter Kriff) Pitfido of Winooski, Vt.; and ten grandchildren: John Pitfido, Catzby and Zane Pitzvada, Jenn Schuler, Frankie and Andy Loscavio, Jonna and Julie Pitfido, Patrick Harrigan, and Max Kriff; and two great-granddaughters, Lilliana Loscavio and Grace Jordon Pitfido.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Aug. 14 at St. Bernard’s Church in Waterville.  Following the internment at Carr Cemetery, Marcy, a celebration of Charlie’s life by his family and friends will be held at the Lake Chalet pavilion in Bridgewater.
Donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Huntington’s Disease Society of America, or your local Hospice.