Pearl Rita Charland (Benoit), 80, went peacefully home to the Lord on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at her home in Ormond Beach, Florida. She was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on August 21, 1941, to Walter G. Benoit and Viola L. Benoit.

Pearl was a very strong woman who loved music, played the Hawaiian guitar, and sang in the Glee club. She also loved the water, traveling, get togethers with family and friends, and the Red Sox. She also loved going to Camp during the summers, where she loved being with her family who also camped with her. She graduated from Cathedral High School and at 50 years old, earned her Masters degree from Cambridge College, of which she was so proud.

When she married Ernest Charland "Ernie", she and Ernie joined the Baystaters Square Dance Club. Together they would perform Round Dancing, and demonstrations of different dancing eras from the 1800s to the 1950s. Ernie and Pearl moved to Palmer, Massachusetts where they made a lot of friends. They joined the Senior Center and Pearl became the Treasurer in the Senior Centers Fund Raising efforts. She also loved cards and enjoyed playing a lot of Cribbage.

Pearl and Ernie retired to the Aberdeen community in Ormond Beach, Florida. She loved it there and joined a group of friends and neighbors. She played Samba twice a week. She lived at Aberdeen for 4 years and loved all her friends there. Pearl is very dearly loved by her family and friends, and her love and memory will always be in our hearts.

Pearl was preceded in death by her parents, Walter G. Benoit and Viola L. Benoit, and 2 brothers, Walter Benoit and Earl Benoit. She is survived by her husband and best friend of 53 years, Ernie Charland, her daughters, Catherine Rinaldi and her partner Dino Yacovone, and Jennifer Charland, and her four-legged grandson, Max, her 3 grandchildren, Isabella Rinaldi, Dominic Rinaldi, and Joseph Yacovone. She is also survived by her sister, Elaine Jones and her long-time companion Andy Lentender, and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.

There will be a Mass held at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 600 S Nova Rd, Ormond Beach, FL 32174, on Saturday, June 11, 2022, at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Pearl's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital .

There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date in Massachusetts.