Charlestown 'Townies' Reunite After 50 Years

What started as a small reunion of friends earlier this year soon blossomed into a full-on reunion for a group of Charlestown natives.

Dubbing themselves “townies,” the group of nearly 40 Charlestown residents gathered this summer after decades apart in memory of their past “hang outs” in the 1950s and 1960s at the Edwards Playground, located at the corner of Mead and Eden streets in Charlestown.

"Often and unfortunate when one runs into a friend from the past, it is a funeral service for a fellow companion," said Harold "Hank" Sullivan, one of the “townies.” "That happened last March, and that spun off to three of us getting together several weeks later."

The effort snowballed into the planning of a larger reunion of sorts.

"Knowing that there were approximately 60 of us back in the day at the park, we figured if we could get 20 it would be a success," Sullivan said, adding that the group reached out as far as Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Hawaii, as well as all over New England, to get the word out. "The efforts paid off. We ended up with 38 friends at the barbecue reunion held on June 28, poolside in Wakefield."

The event featured food, refreshments and a moment of silence for those no longer with the group.

"We all suffered the loss of friends due to Vietnam, accidents and other reasons," Sullivan said, referencing the following missed friends: Billy McNamara, Tom Powers, John Wajakowski, Cheryl (Marsella) Ferriera, Paul and Ellen Cavanaugh, Frank Brooks, Dave LaLiberty, Mary (Peterson) Fleming and John Martinee.

'50 Years Later' Photo Caption

First Row: Virginia Pappas, Cathy Brooks, Ann Benner, Tom Burns, Charlie the Dog. 

Second Row: Rich Olson, Sunshine (Bob) Brooks, Trish Kelly, Phyllis Donovan, Walter Ferreira, Yvonne Dumas, Pippy(Maden) Leahy, Marie Sullivan, Jill Patterson, Dee-Dee Cosgrove. 

Third Row: Dennis Kane, Joan (Devlin) Kane, Chris Donovan, Ray Montgomery, Tom Brooks, Bill Leahy, Pam Sullivan, Tom Patterson, Janice Donovan, Tom SullivanBack row standing, Bob Donovan, Jay Donovan, Harold Sullivan. Credit: Harold (Hank) Sullivan