Charte, Corporal Philip Gerald Eichner

CAMBRIDGE Corporal Philip Gerald Eichner Charte, 22, died Tuesday, September 7, 2010, while proudly serving his country in Afghan-istan. Philip was born August 8, 1988, in Manchester, N. H., the son of Philip Vincent Charte of Salem, N.Y. and the late Anne LeiLani Eichner. He grew up in Goffstown, N.H. until moving to Cambridge when he was nine. He attended Cambridge Central School from the grades five through nine and was a member of Cambridge Boy Scout Troop # 62.

As a sophomore, he returned to Goffstown, graduating from Goffstown High School, class of 2007. Philip was an accomplished high school wrestler. He won the N.H. state wrestling championship in the 135-pound division when he was a junior and was the team captain his senior year. He was known to be a bit of a prankster and liked making others laugh.

Immediately following graduation, Philip joined the Marine Corps where his dedication and strength served him well. He served in Iraq from August 2008 to March 2009. He was deployed to Afghanistan in June where he was a rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Division. Philip was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. He earned the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He is predeceased by his mother and her parents, Gerald and Mariah (Aki) Eichner and his paternal grandfather, William Charte.

Survivors include his father, Philip V. and wife Barbara (Dooley) Charte; his sister, Alicia Ann Charte and her son, Jason Gagne of Salem; stepsiblings, Robert Horowitz of Johnsonville and Kara Horowitz of Missouri; maternal grandmother, Patty J. Charte of New Boston, N.H.; maternal stepgrandfather, Milton Burnette of Rye, N.H.; aunts, Laurel Untie of Franklin, N.H. and Melanie Potvien of Manchester, N.H.; uncles, William Charte of Franklin, N.H., Chris Charte of Goffstown, N.H. and Alfred Eichner of Queens, N.Y.; and several great aunts, great uncles and many cousins.

Friends and family are invited to call on Wednesday, September 15 at Ackley & Ross Funeral Home, 73 West Main Street, Cambridge from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. A funeral service, conducted by Rev. Mary Muncil, will be held on Thursday, September 16 at 10 a.m. at the New Skete Monastery, New Skete Lane, Cambridge. For directions visit http://www.newskete.com. Burial will follow at New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, N.H. at approximately 4 p.m.

The family would like memorial donations made to the Wounded Warrior Regiment. Checks should be made to Department of Navy Gift Fund marked for the Wounded Warrior Regiment in Philip’s memory and send c/o Charitable Donation Coordinator, 3025 John Quick Road, MCB Quantico, VA 22134. Philip was a passionate, purposefully young man whose death saddens his family, his friends, the communities in which he lived and the nation that he so proudly served. Rest in peace Fallen Soldier.

Arrangements are under the direction of Ackley & Ross Funeral Home, assisted by McClellan-Gariepy Funeral Home, Salem, NY.