Obituary of Channing Entwistle

Channing L. Entwistle, a resident of Burlington for 47 years, passed away at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center on Saturday evening, January 27, 2007. He is the husband of 53 years of Edith F. (Saunders) Entwistle. He was 82 year old. Mr. Entwistle was born in Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard. He was the son of the late John and Jetta Entwistle. He was raised and educated on Martha’s Vineyard. He was a graduate of Admiral Billard Academy. He went on to further his education in Hotel Management. While living on the Vineyard he worked with his Aunt running the Ahoma Inn. Mr. Entwistle a veteran of World War II serving his country in the United States Coast Guard. He held the rank Radioman Second Class and was stationed at Coast Guard Stations in Gloucester, Nantucket, and Boston. He also served on the USS Woonsocket. He was discharged in May of 1946. Mr. Entwistle met his wife when she moved to Martha’s Vineyard to teach school. They married and eventually settled in Burlington in 1959 where he became an active member of the community. He was a Town Meeting Member of over 25 years and served on the Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Entwistle was a member of the Masons Simonds Lodge in Burlington for over 50 years and was a Past Master. He was also a member of the Shriners and a member of the Burlington Lions Cub. Mr. Entwistle was employed as a Vault Manager for Bank of America for 15 years. He had also worked for Nature Food Center in Cambridge for 10 years, Dale Pharmacy in Burlington, Country Day Driving School in Newburyport and Fiore School Bus Company. Mr. Entwistle is the beloved husband of 53 years of Edith F. (Saunders) Entwistle. He is the loving father of Leslie Entwistle of Beverly and the late Martha Cecchini. He is the brother of Jetta Schaffer of Duxbury and Sturgis Entwistle of Vineyard Haven. He is the grandfather of Robert C. Cecchini, IV & his wife Kathleen of Burlington and great grandfather of Kara and Samantha Cecchini of Burlington. Funeral Services will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Tuesday 4-8 p.m. Interment in Pine Haven Cemetery, BURLINGTON. Memorials in Channing’s name may be made to the Shriners Burns Institute, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114. Leslie's Eulogy My dad had many nicknames, when he was growing up on Martha’s Vineyard he was known as Toot. Later in life his nicknames ranged from Mr E, Mr Ent, Chan the Man, and lately the energizer bunny. We called him the energizer bunny because no matter what illness he got, and he seemed to have a lot, he kept on going just like the energizer bunny on tv. My father lived a long full life. He was married to my mother for 53 years. He died just short of his 83rd birthday. You can not live that long with out having many memories of the person. Over his lifetime he belonged to the Lions Club, was a Town Meeting member for 25 plus years, and he belonged to the Masons for over 50 years. He was also a 32nd degree and a Shriner. My father would always lend someone a hand when they needed help with something. When a local boy was burned badly my dad (even though he did not know them recommended to the family they take the boy to the Shriners hospital and my Dad put them in touch with the right people. The boy was able to recover due to the care he received at the Shriners hospital. My father loved to laugh and enjoyed a good joke. He loved to tease anyone and everyone. Three of his favorite lines where Stay out of the hot sun , don’t take any wooden nickels and one he generally kept for me Keep it under a hundred. My father was a radio man in the Coast Guard during World War 2. He was assigned to duty at the Boston station where is cousin Dwight was stationed. He would tell the stories of how Dwight used to pick him everyday to work on his detail. Then the two of them would hop the train and go to Aunt Rachel’s house and hang out and play cards and eat. My dad also told the story of how he was finally assigned to a cutter that was patrolling off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket for German subs. Every 4-5 days he would he would radio his mother and say he was coming into Vineyard Haven harbor could she make a couple of pies. They would then dock, he would run up the hill for the pies, another guy went to the drugstore for ice cream and a third guy would pretend to fill the water tank up so they would not get in trouble for pulling into the harbor for pies. The crew would then eat the pies and my father would hand the pie tins off to one of the guys on the dock, who was a local, who would then return them to my grandmother for future pies. The pie run ended when his crew got sent to Iceland. My father said his ears were never the same after that. My father also held various part time jobs which led to some interesting ventures for our family. He sold tent trailers, and the next thing I knew we were camping all over the place in our own Apache tent trailer. Camping led to us seeing many different places on the east coast, forming some life long friends and many memories. He moved onto selling window shades and soon we had new window shades hanging in every window . He then sold musical instruments and true to his nick name “toot” he had us all playing something. He then changed full time jobs and became a dispatcher for a bus company soon there after I had to get my bus driver license. And lastly he worked for a bank you guessed it within two weeks we all had new bank accounts. Another favorite memory for me is the time my father taught me how to drive a standard car. I was in college and needed a car because of my required fieldwork. So my father said he would find something for me. He came up with a baby blue Volkswagon bug. I loved that car the only problem I could not drive it. So he took it for the test drive and sealed the deal for me. He then took me to the high school parking lot and gave me lessons on how to drive the car. As we jerked to a stop moved two feet jerked to a stop moved two feet he put his hand on the dashboard and said to me “Can you stop trying to see if I can fit through the windshield?”. We then cracked up laughing. He then told me to drive home. I thought he was crazy but said ok. Off we went me rolling backwards on the hills, stalling at every light and turn and we finally made it home. He went straight to the bathroom ( I think I scared the you know what out of him)When he came out of the bathroom he had a double bourbon and said he would continue the lessons later that afternoon. My sister could not understand why he was so upset and said it could not have been that bad she then went for a ride with me and decided she too would join him in that bourbon which he poured for her. My father had a funny way about him one time my friend South Africa came to visit. After dinner that night my father said to me please do not leave him alone with Sharon as he could not understand a word she said. Sharon also made the same request of me. So it was much to my surprise when the next day they were sitting at the kitchen table talking to each other. It was only later that I realized that neither one could understand each other and they were just nodding their heads to be polite. It was much the same way the last couple of months with my dad. He was tough to understand but I knew he was giving me lists of things that needed to be done much like he always did. And yes Paul he had a few things for you too. My dad loved to go to the trailer in Maine but even more so he loved going up to see Ginny and Paul in Maine. He loved playing darts and bingo and sitting at the campfires. He loved going out on the boat and hanging out playing cards. Many a night we were up late just playing one more hand of whatever it was we were playing that night. He would laugh with delight when he managed to beat us all at the game. My dad loved his family and enjoyed our antics as much as he loved to roll his eyes at us. He really enjoyed his great grand daughters and would laugh at everything they did. His biggest regret is that he would only know them for a short time. The last month was very hard for him and though we will really miss him we know that he is no longer suffering. So, Dad my best advice to you is Don’t take any wooden nickels, stay out of the hot sun and for Godsake’s keep it under a 100.