Debra (Debbie) Charpentier passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, 3/14/24. Submitted photo.
Debra Charpentier
Debra (Debbie) Charpentier (Villa), age 68, of Fairhaven MA passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday March 14, 2024.
Debbie was born March 10, 1956 to the late Charles and Patricia Villa. She was a 1974 graduate of Fairhaven High School.
Debbie began to volunteer in the historical department of the Millicent library in the early 1980’s. She was officially hired in 1984, working with the public at the desk circulating books and doing interlibrary loans.
In 1991 she took over the research department and began integrating local materials into a database with the help of many volunteers. As a Historical Research and Outreach Associate, she also connected patrons to helpful organizations. No request was considered too high or low for Debbie’s meticulous research, whether it was ghosts for a third grader, high schoolers learning historiography requests from town departments, or photos for London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
A member of the Fairhaven Historical Commission from 1991 through 2017, Debbie ran the Historic House Plaque program. In 1995 the archives department was opened to the public and Debbie began creating databases that could be accessed internationally, eventually including the Lost Fishermen Database, Fairhaven Cemetery Records, Fairhaven Vital Records, Fairhaven High School Yearbooks, the Barnacle and the Fairhaven Star. The archives expanded and became a repository for records of local organizations as well as for pictures, letters, journals, scrapbooks and art.
Debbie believed everyone’s life is a part of history. She also worked on many publications including the Picture Postcard History of Fairhaven. By 2000 Debbie was both archivist and facilities manager of the library. As assistant to the director she wrote grants for digitations, repairs, upgrades and restorations. In 2023, following her retirement, the archives departments at the library was officially renamed the Debra A. Charpentier Archives & Special Collections. She will be remembered for her many accomplishments.
Debbie was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoyed reading, knitting and spending time with her family. She also played a key role in the establishment of the Phoenix Girls Softball League.
She is survived by her husband of 46 years Ted; daughter, Melissa Cormier and her husband Kevin; grandchildren, Samantha and Kevin Jr. Other family members include her brothers, Kevin Villa, Charles and his wife Jennifer Villa, sister-in-law, Eleanor Charpentier; brother-in-law, Leo Charpentier and several nieces and nephews. Debbie is preceded in death by her brother Steven Villa.
She will be deeply missed and in accordance with her wishes she will be cremated with no services to follow.
In Lieu of flowers please make donations to Fairhaven Firefighters Local 1555, or to the Community Nurse Home Care.
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