Charlie Berluti

Charlie P. Berluti, 77, of Newport, RI, died peacefully on Friday, June 8, 2012 surrounded by his family, at Forest Farm Health Care Center, Middletown, RI. He was the husband of Catherine M. (Caine) Berluti. Born in Newport, RI on May 30, 1935, he was the son of the late Cesare and Guarina (Zagaglia) Berluti.Charlie attended St. Mary's Grammar School and graduated from Rogers High School in 1953. His career at the Newport Daily News started at a young age as a paperboy and continued for the next 43 years, working his way through different positions in production. In 1996 he retired as foreman of the Composing Room.He may best be known around Newport for his work over the last 24 years as the producer and co-host of "Crossed Paths", a public access cable show that featured local interest stories of the people and places that help define Newport County. Charlie's efforts on the show garnered several PEG awards, presented for Public, Education and Government programming on cable TV. He also looked forward to the annual ritual of hosting a live recording of the Newport St. Patrick's Day Parade. Charlie was also involved in the publication of "Christmas Reflections of Newport", an annual collection of poems by local writers. Proceeds of the book benefit the soup kitchens in Newport.After retirement, he began work for Viking Tours as a Newport tour guide. Charlie also volunteered his time to the 5th Ward Little League Clinic for many years, and was a dedicated communicant of St. Augustin Church, where he served as usher and collector. In 2009 he received the CIVITAS award from the Newport Hibernians.Besides his wife of 55 years, he is survived by his children, Christopher C. Berluti and his wife Mary of Mansfield, MA, and Kate M. Mahoney and her husband Christopher of Portsmouth, RI, his grandchildren, Matthew Berluti, Cassandra Berluti, Nicole Berluti, and Callahan Mahoney and Kaelyn Mahoney, as well as several nieces and nephews.He was the father of the late Karen Berluti and the brother of the late Mario Berluti and Matilda "Tillie" Hunter.Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, June 12 from 5:00-7:00pm in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport. His funeral will be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2012, at 9:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in St. Augustin Church, Carroll and Harrison Avenues, Newport. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery in Middletown.Donations in his memory may be made to St. Augustin Soup Kitchen, c/o MaryCorcoran, 55 Ruggles Ave, Newport, RI 02840 Cemetery Details St. Columba Catholic Cemetery Brown's Lane Middletown, RI, 02842 Visitation JUN 12. 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway Newport, RI, US, 02840 info@memorialfuneralhome.com http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com Service JUN 13. 10:00 AM St. Augustins Church 2 Eastnor Road Newport, RI, US