Carl Brechlin, 53, of Meriden, Conn., devoted father and husband, business man and community volunteer, died unexpectedly while on a river running trip on the Potomac River in Harper’s Ferry, W. Va. on May 30.
He was born in Meriden, Conn. on July 25, 1954, the son of Alfred Earl Brechlin of Meriden, Conn. and Joyce Eileen [Foster] Brechlin. Growing up in South Meriden, Conn. he enjoyed frequent childhood explorations and adventures along the banks of the Quinnipiac River which inspired a life-long love of nature and the outdoors.
He attended Meriden schools and graduated from Platt High School in 1972.
It was while he was in high school that he met, courted and won the love of his life, Mary Ellen [Deno]. The couple married in 1975 and always lived in Meriden, Conn. where they raised four children.
Carl began his working life in the warehouse of Ryerson Steel in Wallingford, Conn. He eventually worked his way up the corporate ladder on his way to becoming the chief financial officer for a variety of Connecticut firms including SKF Steel, Duamex, an international flower importer, and safety equipment manufacturer Sinco Sala.
Throughout his life Carl sought to give back to the community. He is the former scoutmaster of Troop 10, the oldest continuously chartered troop in Connecticut. He is a former Deacon and Trustee of the First Congregational Church of Meriden and became involved at the board level with that institution’s Camp Claire which he attended as a youth and later worked at as a counselor.
In recent years Carl enjoyed serving as a Lay Leader and Finance Committee member at the United Methodist Church of Meriden.
He was an active member of the Meriden Chapter of Rotary International and was a member of the Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the board of the Augusta Curtis Cultural Center in Meriden.
A long-time member of the Freemasons, Carl was a three-time Past Master of Meridian Lodge #77 and the Shrine as a member of the Sphinx Temple in Newington. He founded and organized a series of fundraising antique shows which were a fixture for many years during Meriden’s Daffodil Festival in Hubbard Park. Carl and Mary began buying and selling antiquities as part of their cottage business, Nest Egg Antiques.
The focus of the business shifted to auctions and the company began operating out of a series of locations in Meriden. Because of the family atmosphere and a belief that auctions should be fun, Nest Egg Auctions quickly attracted a legion of loyal devotees.
Carl attended advanced auctioneering classes and was a member of the National Auctioneers Association.
Among his many other interests were trains and model railroading. He and Mary Ellen also shared a zeal for collecting items from Meriden’s past.
Carl never surrendered his love for the outdoors cultivated as a youth. For more than 20 years he organized regular semi-annual canoeing, camping and backpacking expeditions with family and friends to the rivers and summits of the northeast including Mount Washington, the Appalachian Trail, the St. Croix River, and especially Mount Katahdin where he also volunteered to help maintain trails around the high mountain campsite at Chimney Pond.
The outing group became known as the Moose River Camping Club in honor of their first river trip in Maine. Carl was on one of their group’s excursions when he passed away while running rapids on the Potomac.
Carl was predeceased by son Blake, in 2004, father Al, grandmother Barbara [Roebuck] Brechlin and grandparents Carl and Patricia Foster.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 33 years, Mary Ellen; mother and stepfather, Joyce and Charles Parmelee of Bar Harbor; stepmother, Ruth Gregg Brechlin of Durham; son, Ryan and companion Christine Johnson of West Hartford, Conn.; daughter, Jennifer Soderberg and husband Adam of Meriden, Conn.; son, Christopher of Meriden, Conn. and Harold Hedlund of Milford, Conn. who Carl considered a son; twin brother, Earl Brechlin and wife Roxie of Bar Harbor; brother, Dale Brechlin and wife Jane of Harper’s Ferry, W. Va.; sisters, Barbara Saunders and husband Doug of Rockland, and Patricia Lane and husband Gary of Damariscotta; and many nieces and nephews including Renee St. Hilaire of Middletown, Conn., Fred St. Hilaire of Wallingford, Conn., David St. Hilaire Jr., of Wallingford, Conn., Amy Kostka of Rockport, Mass., Kristin Saunders-Falla of Tenants Harbor, Kelly Saunders of Rockland, Erica Powell of Bristol, Jason Brechlin of Laramie, Wyo., and Crystal Neher of Las Vegas, Nev.
Memorial services 11 a.m., Wed., June 4 at the First United Methodist Church at 15 Pleasant St., Meriden, Conn. with Rev. Eric Henderson officiating. There will be no wake. In accordance with Carl’s wishes there will be no graveside services.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Carl’s name may be sent to the Camp Claire Canoe Fund, 62 Colony St., Meriden, CT 06450, or the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, 516 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104.
Arrangements by John Ferry and Sons, 88 East Main St., Meriden, Conn. www.jferryfh.com.
