'His family was his passion': Brockton icon and restaurateur Charlie Tartaglia has died

EASTON — A Brockton icon known for his landmark restaurant, community service and big, generous personality, has died.

Charles H. “Charlie” Tartaglia, the former owner of George's Cafe, died on Aug. 14, 2023. He was 87.

George's Cafe was a go-to dining destination in Brockton, ever since it first opened its doors in 1937, serving up Italian and American fare.

Well-known Brockton family

Born and raised in Brockton, he was the son of the late Louis and Mary (Volta) Tartaglia and was one of the three well-known Tartaglia brothers of Brockton — along with the late Louis Tartaglia Jr., who was head of Brockton Board of Health, and the late Henry “Hank” Tartaglia, who owned several local restaurants in Brockton and had been a health inspector for the city of Taunton.

Charlie Tartaglia was a graduate of Brockton High School and, in 1995, he was inducted into the Brockton High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Charlie Tartaglia and wife, Penelope, were high school sweethearts. They married on June 14, 1959, and lived in Brockton, where they raised their family, until moving to Easton in the 1990s.

Married for 64 years, Charlie Tartaglia is being remembered as a devoted husband, father and grandfather.

"He was a devoted husband," his granddaughter, Rachel Franciosi, of Easton, said.

Her grandfather worked many jobs while they were raising their kids, prior to owning the restaurant, Franciosi said.

"He always tried to provide for them as much as he could," she said.

Owner of iconic George's restaurant for decades

Charlie Tartaglia grew up in the family business that he had owned with his wife, Penny, since 1969. His uncle, George Tartaglia, founded the restaurant in 1937

The legendary restaurant, a virtual shrine to undefeated Brockton boxing great Rocky Marciano and other famous athletes who visited the City of Champions, was once covered with autographed photographs, sports memorabilia and press clippings.

Some of the famous celebrities who walked through the doors included Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Muhammad Ali Gordie Howe, Michael Spinks, Larry Holmes, Don King, Mo Vaughn and Bill Lee.

After 82 years, the restaurant changed hands.

All his kids and grandkids "did their time" at the restaurant according to his granddaughter.

“Not only was he grandfather, he was also the boss,” Franciosi said.

“We all had our time working at the restaurant or the surrounding rental properties," she said. “My parents even met at George’s.”

According to Franciosi, Charlie Tartaglia's daughter, Diane Kashgagian, was the last child working at George’s before Charlie Tartaglia sold the restaurant in 2019.

"She took on the brunt of that with him. She was the other boss," Franciosi said.

"Diane looked up to her father a lot," Franciosi said. "She respected him so much. It’s a huge loss for her."

Active in the community

In addition to running the restaurant, Charlie Tartaglia found time to be active in the community.

He was a boxing commissioner for 30 years, former Ward 2 city councilor and served on the Brockton Parks Commission from 1986 to 1989.

Charlie Tartaglia served as a board member of the Massasoit Community College Foundation. He also served as a member of Massasoit's Board of Trustees from 2000 until 2011.

He also had served on the President's Committee at Stonehill College for many years.Charlie Tartaglia received Signature Healthcare's President's Medal for Outstanding Community Service in 2013.

A small green space at the corner of Warren Avenue and Bartlett Street was dedicated the Charles Tartaglia Park in 2017, in honor of his contributions to community events and efforts to preserve the legacy of legendary boxer Rocky Marciano.

Devoted to his family and friends

Though active in the community, Charlie Tartaglia was devoted to his family and proud of his children.

“He did so much for all of us," He went above and beyond. We would never have to ask him for anything, he just did,” Franciosi said.

All the boys in the family played sports and Charlie Tartaglia always supported their teams and made sure to go to all the games he could.

"He would always try his damnedest to get there,” she said.

"He loved to always hear about how school or sports were going and that I was doing great," his grandson Andrew Tartaglia said. "I loved to listen to his old stories on our way to Boston to pick up meats and fish for George's."

Ryan Tartaglia said his memories of his grandfather were that he was a supporter of what he and his brothers did.

"One way he did that was by saving newspaper clippings of our baseball and football games, so that we’d have them later," Ryan said. “That was a memorable moment for me because my grandfather was always looking out for us whether we knew it or didn’t know it.“ Ryan said.

"His family was his passion and his biggest motivation," Franciosi said.

“As a grandfather, he was very motivational and wanted the best for us,”

When she was in college, Franciosi's mother died, and Charlie Tartaglia encouraged her to go back to college.

“'Do this for your mom and we’ll get through it,'” he said to his granddaughter.

“'I see the best in you,' he would say. 'You have the power to do this,' he said to all of us," Franciosi said.

Franciosi remembers that one time there was a fire down the street from the restaurant and her grandfather gave all the firefighters coffee.

"He was that type of person," she said. “He loved to be a part of everything. He loved to help out anyway he could.”

On Halloween, Charlie Tartaglia handed out pizza slices out the back door of the restaurant to the kids who were dressed up.

"He was just a generous and kind person," Franciosi said.

Charlie Tartaglia was also a longtime member of the Bocci Club, Hundred Club, the Order of the Sons of Italy Christopher Columbus Lodge 216, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and Ring 4.

A U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam era, he was a member of American Legion Post 34 and the Italian American War Veterans.

In addition to his wife Penelope, Charlie Tartaglia is survived by his daughter, Diane Kashgagian, of Easton. Charlie Tartaglia was the father of the late Paula Franciosi and the late Charles “Chuckie” Tartaglia. He was the grandfather of Matthew Franciosi, Rachel Franciosi, Andrew Tartaglia, Ryan Tartaglia, Eric Tartaglia, Nicholas Kashgagian, Anthony Kashgagian and Sarah Kashgagian. In addition to his grandchildren, he is survived by three great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Private family funeral services were held.

To leave condolences for the family, visit Conley Funeral Home at conleyfuneralhome.com.

Staff writer Kathy Bossa can be reached by email at kbossa@enterprisenews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton restaurateur Charlie Tartaglia of George's Cafe dies at 87