David L. “Dov” Charak
A “mensch” – a good soul with a big heart
David L. “Dov” Charak was born on October 30, 1948, in Boston, the beloved and devoted son of Jean (Werlin) and the late Bernard “Nate” Charak. He grew up in Chelsea, which remained “home” in his heart, though he subsequently resided in Salem for nearly 40 years.
David earned a Bachelor’s Degree in 1971 and a Master’s Degree in 1975 from UMass Amherst, where he majored in Business Administration and Urban and Regional Management. From the mid-1970’s until the early 1980’s, he worked at Chelsea City Hall. From the mid-1980’s until his retirement, David worked for automobile dealerships (Mitsubishu and Volvo). He took great pride in his work. An early adopter of workplace technology, David earned national recognition from Mitsubishi as one of the country’s most successful car salesmen.
David was a lifelong, ardent sports fan who followed his beloved Minutemen, Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots zealously. He spent his teenage summers as a concession vendor at Fenway Park. Years later, he looked forward to attending spring training in Fort Myers, while taking the opportunity to visit with friends and family in Florida.
David had an outgoing personality. He would seldom hesitate to reach out to provide others with what he considered helpful information, nor to request the same from them. He loved to chat about topics of interest to him — sports; the music of Bruce Springsteen, Brian Wilson, and Bob Dylan; longtime-favorite or recently opened restaurants; plans for replacing the Tobin Bridge — but found equal pleasure in learning about and discussing the interests of others. He listened actively and empathetically, easily gaining the trust of others in both personal and professional relationships.
David was devoted to family and friends, who described him as a “mensch” – a good soul with a big heart – and someone who was simply “always there” – to celebrate holidays, to mark milestone occasions, to lend a hand, and to share in others’ joy.
David passed away peacefully on May 11, 2025, after a hard-fought battle with a long-term illness. In addition to his mother, David is survived by his sister, Jo-Ann Charak Feit (Richard Feit); nephews: Benjamin Feit ( Nicole Gill ) and Alexander Feit; grand-nieces: Eleanor (Norah) and Adelaide (Addie) as well as numerous cousins and a great many friends.
Funeral and Memorial Service to celebrate David’s life have been held. Donations in David’s memory may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, the American Kidney Fund, or the American Heart Association.
Michael Monkiewicz
Officer of Kayem Foods, Chelsea
Michael Monkiewicz, 72, Kayem Foods of Chelsea officer, died on Wednesday July 16th at his home surrounded by his family. He was the loving husband of Patricia (O’Brien) Hennessy.
Born in Chelsea and raised in Lynnfield, Michael was the son of the late Romuald C. and Wanda (Alin) Monkiewicz. He was a graduate of Whittier College in California and he loved visiting casinos, boating on the lake, traveling, and driving his Cadillac, as well as spending time with family and friends.
In addition to his wife, Michael is survived by his son Mark Monkiewicz of Lynnfield; his three siblings: Ray and his wife, Nancy of Ipswich, Dorothy Colcord and her husband, Bill of Maine and Joe and his wife, Nancy of Revere. Michael is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Relatives and friends attended visiting hours in the Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, 549 Lincoln Ave., Saugus Tuesday, July 22 and his funeral was held from the funeral home on Friday, Wednesday, July 23rd followed by a funeral mass at Our Lady the Assumption Church, 17 Grove St., Lynnfield. Interment was at Forest Hill Cemetery, Lynnfield. For condolences, visit: BisbeePorcella.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society @cancer.org.
For directions and condolences BisbeePorcella.com.
Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home 781-233-0300