Charles Domenick Packan

The Obituary of Charles Domenick Packan

An opening note:

Attempting to condense a life so full into one short passage is both a great challenge, and a tremendous honor. How do you pack 85 beautiful years into one document? As we sit together and reflect on a life well done, we can only hope to capture its great magnitude and the lasting power of its influence. It is our great honor to call ourselves Charles Packan’s granddaughters, and it is our solemn promise that his legacy will live on through us forever--our patriarch, our leader, our Pap.

With love and respect,

Loren, Natalie, and Gillian.

Charles Domenick Packan, 85, of Libertytown MD, passed away peacefully at home on October 26, 2024 of natural causes, surrounded by his loved ones. Charles was born on June 9, 1939 in Allison PA to the parents of Edith and Charles Packan. Charles was the oldest of five. Whether he was dancing on stage with brother Albert, playing football or running track with brother Eddie, curling little sister Charmayne’s hair, or swooping baby sister Charlyne into his arms at his graduation, his siblings could always count on him to proudly fulfill the role of big brother. After Charles graduated from Redstone High School in 1957, as Redstone’s star quarterback, lettered athlete in football, baseball, basketball and track, and class president, Charlie accepted a football scholarship to George Washington University.

This hometown hero, lovingly referred to as “our boy Charlie,” was the first one in his family to graduate college and in 1961 he earned a degree in Secondary Education. He accepted his first teaching job at Northwood High School. One night during his first-year teaching, Charlie attended Midnight Mass with his brothers when he saw a beautiful young JoAnn Decarlo walking down the street. He took one look at her and she was his – the rest was history. Janet “Big J,” a friend, would frequently persuade JoAnn’s father to let them go out—they would find a space, push furniture to the side, and dance the night away.

On July 27, 1963 Charlie made JoAnn his wife at St. Nicholas Greek Catholic Church. Chuck and JoAnn settled down in Maryland, where they welcomed their first daughter Pam in 1964, followed by Charlie, Nicole, and Gina. In 1976 they bought a home and set up camp at Linganore Woods Drive, where they found lifelong best friends in their neighbors, Rob and Georgiann Toni and raised their children side by side. But Chuck’s own children were not the only ones he was investing in. To us, Chuck was Dad, Pap, Husband, Uncle or Brother, but to many, he was “Coach.”

Chuck spearheaded the football program at Damascus High School and poured his heart into every player that he coached. In 1981, Chuck led his football team at Damascus High School to their first ever State Championship game where they defeated Great Mills 34 to 18. Through the years, he continued to coach football as well as women’s basketball, and track, until 1996 when he retired from teaching and coaching. But even then, Charlie never hung up his coaching cap. He continued to impact lives, forming countless relationships with customers at Spirits of Liberty through the years. He made it his mission to love everybody who walked through his store.

In 1985, Chuck put on a brand-new cap as a grandfather when he welcomed his first Grandchild Loren. Between 1985 and 2024 Chuck was blessed with 10 grandchildren and 9 Great grandchildren (plus one little boy still on the way) who fondly call him, “Pap.” Whether you knew him as Charles, Charlie, Chuck, Dad, Coach, or Pap, one thing remains steadfast – Charles Domenick Packan was a man of respect, courage, honor, tradition, and above all, love.

In true Chuck fashion, with a knot in our throat and a tear in our eye, we honor the mantra he preached and embodied throughout his life “Famiglia, Love and Respect.”

Charles Domenick Packan is survived by the love of his life and bride of 61 years, JoAnn Packan, as well as his children and their spouses, Pam and Danny Knight, Charlie and Angie Packan, Nicole and David Knight, and Gina and Justin Humphreys, and by his siblings and their spouses Albert and Rita Packan, Eddie and June Packan, Charmayne and Jim Boggio, and Charlyne and George Bashour. Additionally, his legacy lives on through his 10 grandchildren and their spouses, 9 great grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, former players and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Edith and Charles Packan and numerous extended family members.

In loving memory, all are welcome to attend a visitation on Sunday, November 3rd from 12pm to 6pm at Stauffer Funeral Home, located at 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, MD. A funeral service will be held on Monday November 4th, at 11:00am at Calvary Church, 8234 Woodsboro Pike, Walkersville MD. Your presence will be cherished as we gather to honor and celebrate a life well-lived.