Sophie M. Pelletier

Tiverton, Rhode Island - Sophie Pelletier, 100, passed away on Monday, February 23, 2026, at Hope Health Hulitar Hospice Center. She was the wife of the late Emile Pelletier.

Sophie Mendyka Pelletier was born May 25, 1925, in Waterbury, the daughter of the late Anthony and Josephine (Blecharczyk) Mendyka. She attended grade school in Waterbury, CT, until her family’s move to Meriden, CT, where she graduated from St Stanislaus School, and Meriden High School. Her mother Josephine died at a very young age, when Sophie was a teen. Even after marriage to her beloved Emile, they lived with, and cared for her father Anthony until his death. She was a caregiver for other family members as well, setting an example for her children.

In 2014, it was time for the Sophie’s children to take care of her. At 89 years old, she moved to Charlotte NC, to live with her daughter Joanne. Just this past summer at 100 years old, with her daughter & son in law, Sophie moved back north to Tiverton, RI in order to live closer to her children and grandchildren. Last Fall, her great grand daughter was born, and these past three months she was able to frequently enjoy time with her.

Her first job directly out of high school was at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft’s Meriden plant. She later worked for Insilco, Meriden Record- Journal, Thompson Candy Company & retired from MRM Industries.

She loved to pray the rosary and the prayer devotions for Divine Mercy. Sophie was a member of St Stanislaus Rosary Society, and a former May Crowner at St Stanislaus Church.

Sophie was taught to sew at a very young age by her father. She loved to sew her own clothes, and made clothing & costumes for her four children. Sophie taught her daughter Joanne to sew. There was always a sewing project in progress at her home. Sophie was naturally very artistic. She loved to paint and draw. In her retirement she was introduced to quilting, by her niece Claudia Mendyka. From that point on the “Art of Quilting” filled her retirement years with hand & machine sewing excellence, creativity and artistic beauty. She loved to design her own quilts. Sophie could just look at a quilt photo and draft her own pattern and make it without written instructions. Sophie particularly loved hand applique quilt designs. She was actively sewing & quilting into her 100th year, saying she still had a “Bucket List” of quilts to complete. Her quilts were always given as special gifts to her family and friends. Although you could always count on her asking the recipient to “borrow it back”, so she could enter their quilt in the quilt shows she loved to participated in, winning many 1st place ribbons. Sophie’s social life and friendship circle was greatly enriched by the quilt guilds she joined & the fellow quilters who became dear close friends; Heritage Quilters Guild of Wallingford CT, and the Charlotte Quilters Guild of Charlotte, NC. Exactly one year ago, the Charlotte Quilters Guild celebrated Sophie’s 100th birthday with a special exhibit of her quilts at their Carolina Lily Quilt Show. Her special mission in quilting was making donation comfort quilts for cancer patients, NICU babies and especially for Veterans who were in Hospice Care. She was also passionate about making special veteran quilts for her family members & friends who were military veterans.

In their retirement Sophie & Emile loved to travel in their motor home all across the United States and Canada. They took a trip to Korea with fellow military families. In her 80’s she made two trips to Poland with her children & grand children to meet family, and tour the country whose heritage and traditions defined her family’s life.

Sophie was a very passionate UCONN basketball fan, especially the Woman’s team. Even in Charlotte she watched all the games, and during March Madness kept score on print outs of the entire bracket. She was so happy they won the 2025 National Championship for her 100th Birthday year! Her niece Mary Jo Young always reminded her of game times and TV channels, and they shared many long phone calls reviewing the games and players. Together they also enjoyed the WNBA, and loved watching their favorite UCONN players continue on into their professional careers.

Mrs. Pelletier is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Joanne (Pelletier) and David Butterfield of Tiverton, RI, her son and daughter-in-law David & Jill (Borden) Pelletier of Cheshire, CT, her son and daughter-in-law Thomas and Anna (Wojewodka) Pelletier of Wallingford, CT, Laurence & Marisole (Roman/Lopez) Pelletier of Meriden, CT; her grandchildren Aimee Butterfield (Andrew Barth) of Westport, MA and their daughter Zosia Halin Barth, Tanya, Alicia, and Julia Pelletier of Wallingford, CT, Charlize Pelletier of Meriden, CT, Lorenzo and Tina Lopez of Trumbull, and their son Joey Lopez; her neighbors/adopted family James and Gert Taylor and Jasmine Taylor of Meriden; her nieces and nephews Mary Jo and Bob Young, Cynthia and Frank Lawless, Claudia and Jim Lanouette, John and Claudia Mendyka, Michael Mendyka, Steven & Donna Mendyka, and several great nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband and her parents, she is predeceased by her siblings and their spouses Chester and Joyce Mendyka, Louis and Adelaide Mendyka, Rosalie (Mendyka) and Walter Sadowski, and her sister-in-law Rita Pelletier.

Arrangements – A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 10 am at St. Stanislaus Church, 82 Akron St, Meriden. Friends are asked to meet directly at church. Burial will follow in St. Stanislaus Cemetery. The Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire is assisting with arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Beat the Street Community Center, 121 South Colony Street, Meriden, CT 06450, btscc.org or by clicking HERE or to Hope Health Hulitar Hospice Center, Attn: Philanthropy, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904, (401)415-4206, hopehealthco.org or by clicking HERE.