Charles Fletemake

Charles Fletemake, Sr., lifelong businessman of Bellefonte, died on Sunday, December 6, 2020 at Centre Crest. Charles was born on Monday, December 18, 1922. He was an only child of Giuseppe and Rosina Carlina Fratamico. The name Fletemake evolved from the misinterpretation of the pronunciation of Fratamico by his Italian immigrant parents at his first-grade school registration.

He attended St. John’s Catholic School for 8 years and the Bellefonte High School for four years. He later became the chairperson of the Bellefonte Class of 1940.

During his school years, he worked in a shoe repair shop, clothing store and barber shop. He started barbering in 1938, then in 1941 at the age of 19, he stopped cutting hair to operate his own restaurant at 128 West High Street, Bellefonte, PA. He sold the restaurant in 1945 to open Charlie’s Billiards, a pool room with nine pool tables. In 1956, he resumed barbering by installing two chairs at the billiard parlor, operating both simultaneously. Charlie was considered to be one of the best pool players in the Centre region of the late 1940’s and 1950’s. Charlie played exhibition matches against two world pool champions in his business establishment: Jimmy Caras in 1949 and Willie Mosconi in 1953.

In 1960, Charlie won a national speed hair cutting award while attending the National Barbers Convention in New York City. From that time on, Charlie was known to give his patrons “the fastest clipping in town”. One Saturday, prior to Easter Sunday, from 10am to 10pm Charlie cut 107 heads of hair, an unbelievable feat for any barber.

After operating Charlie’s Billiards and Barbering for 20 years, in 1968, Charlie moved to Hollywood, Florida and purchased a barber shop in the Americana Hotel in Miami Beach. During his ownership, he had the privilege to cut the hairs of Hubert Humphrey who at the time was presidential candidate of the democratic party and also, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., the son of our late 32nd president of the United States.
Five years later, in late 1973, he returned to Bellefonte to resume his barbering skills at Charlie’s Barber Shop and continued to do so until the age of 90 years old. Charlie was a non-smoking advocate and was the first businessman in PA to prohibit smoking in his business establishment. This was a move that was provoked by the deaths of fourteen of his younger friends due to the health effects of smoking.

Charlie was a past member of the Undine Fire Co., Moose Lodge #206 and life member of the Elks Lodge #1094 of Bellefonte.

He was also a health enthusiast and member of the National Health Association and many others.

Throughout his life Charlie was known to be one of the best dressed, always “dressed to the nines” in one of his many hundred designer suits, matching shirt, tie, socks and shoes.
Charlie was preceded in death by his parents and many of his life-long friends.
He will be sorely missed by all those lives he touched during his years on earth.
Charlie is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Tom Arnelle; his son and daughter-in-law, Charles “Sonny” Fletemake, Jr. and Hope. Also surviving are 7 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.
The entire family wishes to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Centre Crest. They are true heroes and provided the best care for Charlie over the past five plus years.
There will be no viewing or funeral services per Charlie’s request. Charlie will be laid to rest in the mausoleum at Centre County Memorial Park, State College, PA.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Mark D. Heintzelman Funeral and Cremation Services.