I LOVE YOU POP. I AM CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT YOU. I MISS YOU SO MUCH. I AM SO SORRY THAT YOUR ILLNESS TOOK MY FATHER FROM US. POP THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU TAUGHT ME AND I WILL PASS ALONG TO MY CHILDREN AND YOUR GREAT GRAND SON BANNEN. 
REST WELL POP AND I STILL HAVE MY CANDLE BURNING IN YOUR HONOR. 
I LOVE YOU,
DEBORAH

Dear Gary, I have just read your beautiful tribute to your father!  Since I live so far I was not able to participate in the service but reading your words has brought this dear man to life for me!  Like you I want to honor him in my memories!  You have taught us just like your father taught you!  Thank you for sharing this heartfelt reflection on a life well lived!  May we each live life as well as Charlie!❤God bless!

Charles Aknin, Charley, our papa is being laid to rest. We have all come here to mark and honor the passing of our fantastic father, my mother's husband, your brother-in-law, your father-in-law, your uncle, your grandpa, your great grandpa and our friend. I love my father with all my heart and my devotion not to the end of his life but to the end of mine. 

Who was my father to me? As many of you know, papa was born and grew up in North Africa, French Algeria and French Morocco, He lived in Hammam Bou Hadjar, Oran, and Casablanca before coming to New York City to join his sisters Raymonde and Lysange. He was the last of 14 children only 7 of who survived to adulthood. My father had the drive, determination and perseverance to follow his dream for a better life. My father dreamed of the American dream and chased that dream all his life. To my father America represented the land of opportunity. What does that even mean? What does it mean to live in a land of oppression? My father and all his family knew the answer all too well and my father wanted to come to the United States to be in a land where he would have an opportunity to be successful. My father wanted all his family to be successful and he taught me some important life lessons. 

My most heartfelt memories of my father are learning from him. Many say the best way to teach someone is to lead them by example, not simply with ones words, but with ones actions. My father was a man of few words; instead, he modeled what he wanted and use words like tenez here take this. What did my father teach me; my father was an effervescent and gracious host and entertainer always smiling and engaging. What makes the magic work is what goes on behind the scenes as his grandson Judah demonstrated for us last night. 

The lessons I learned from my father were:
To set goals in ones life is not enough. One must be willing to dedicate one's self to these goal to the point of self-sacrifice. To humble ones self and one's standard of living so that one can meet ones goals. Our papa's goal in life was to be financially successful and to that end he made money and saved it. He saved money and lived frugally, especially in the beginning, so he would build the future he envisioned.

Second, my father firmly believed that if you were going to do a job, you needed to do it right or not do it at all. This meant you needed to work hard. One of the jobs my father taught me was how to de-bone beef, chicken and even fish. There is a term Au Blanc where the bones are to be cleaned. My father would show me a 50 pound collar of beef and ask me to remove the vertebrates au blanc. I remember him showing me how to remove one vertebrate; then he was give me the de-boning knife and left me to it. I was twelve or thirteen and would spend hours lifting up with my left arm one part of the neck to get inside and painstakingly remove each vertebrate. This lesson taught me hard work, patience, perseverance and attention to detail.

Third, my father taught me to not only work hard but to work smart and avoid what he called double steps. When I would work for him I would bring food out to the dining room. For example, I learned to make sure the escargot grips and forks were on the table before bringing out the sizzling escargot. My father would tell me, while you would look busy if you were running around for the escargot grips but the escargot got cold. Looking busy is not working smart.

Fourth, my father taught me about teamwork. All the waiters at his restaurants worked in teams. What does it mean to be a team player; it means to anticipate what your teammate needs, and be there with it before they ask? It means you need to understand the process of the job being done so well that you know what is needed not only for yourself but for your teammates to make sure the process runs smoothly and as he would say docement.

Lastly, he taught me if a person is trying their hardest to do their best and they make mistakes give them room to grow and make those mistakes. I was a headstrong youth and my father brought me into the family business. I started in the dining room as a busboy, clearing tables and bringing trays of dirty dishes into the kitchen. The trays would get quite heavy and I was supposed to lift them like the other busboys with one hand just above my shoulder and carry them through the double kitchen doors. Well, I cannot tell you how many times I would drop a tray and dishes would go crashing down and break into a million pieces. My father was patient with me until I learn to carry the trays as well as anyone else.

So my father taught me how to set goals and be willing to sacrifice to get them, how to work hard at a job until I got it 100% Au blanc, he taught me how to work smart. How anticipate my teammates needs to work smoothly, doucement. 

These lessons and million of experiences with my father live in me and they are a part of him that did not die. 

Papa, Je t'aime, éternellement. Au revoir. Until I see you again.

May God's loving kindness comfort you and your family through this very sad time Psalms 29:11

I have fond and clear memories of Uncle Charlie!  A wonderful man with lots of talents and a great sense of humor!  May he rest in peace and in all our precious memories of him!  Annie and Gary I am so sorry for your loss and will hold you close in my prayers!

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Charles Aknin

9 février 1932 – 5 janvier 2017

Pacific View Mortuary & Memorial Park

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