Obituary: Charles Daniel Short

Charles Daniel Short, 83
Charles Daniel Short, of Broomfield, Colo., died at home on Sept. 14. He was 83.  
Born in Boston in 1937, he was the son of the late Chief Daniel A. Short, of the Hull Police Department, and Elizabeth (Saxon) Short, of Hull.
Charlie, as he was fondly known to his family and friends, grew up in Hull and attended Hull’s public schools until attending and graduating from the Immaculate Conception School and Sacred Heart High School in Weymouth. He earned a B.S. degree in business administration from Northeastern University and an M.S. degree in public administration from Golden Gate University in California.
After college, Charlie enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He later transferred to the U.S. Air Force, serving in the Strategic Air Command. Rising to the rank of major, and after completing 21 years of service, he retired in 1983 at Loring A.F.B. in Maine.  During his service, he received several medals of honor, such as a Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Force Commendation Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, and an Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters.
A proud U.S. veteran, he became active with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, holding many offices in both the United States and Europe. He also held the office of supreme commander of the MOC, the Honor Society of the VFW.  
After working for the U.S. Postal Service in Washington, D.C., he moved to New London, Conn. While there, he became the proud sponsor of 10 Coast Guard Academy cadets, a role in which he was supportive, making those cadets feel as though they were members of his family, attending their events, and hosting them in his home.
In 2015, Charlie moved to Colorado, affording him the opportunity to be close to grandchildren. One to always be proud of his children and stepchildren, he got much joy from being around them and the young people in his family.
Charlie is survived by his wife of 15 years, Celeste Frederick Short, of Broomfield; his daughter, Susan Short (Anthony) Green, of Hull; his son, Daniel E. Short, of Hull; his sister, Susan Short Krastin, of Hingham; two stepdaughters, Kyle (Brent) Conley, of Hull, and Kate (Ben) Garvin, of Broomfield; and a stepson, Dirk (Christina) Dieters, of Colorado Springs.
He also leaves six grandchildren: Estella Conley, Liam Conley, Ada Garvin, Chloe Dieters, Miles Dieters, and Nathan Dieters; his former wife, Martha Short, of Hull; nephews Charles (Leigh) Krastin, of Norwell, and John (Aly) Krastin, of Boston; extended family and a host of friends; and his cherished dog, Bailey, and three beloved cats, Aspen, Columbine, and Durango.  
A private funeral Mass will be held at the St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, St. Ann Church, on Oct. 3.  Burial services will be at the Hull Village Cemetery. A celebration of his life will take place at a later date so that all family can be present.