Charlotte Streeter

Charlotte M. Streeter (nee Tharp), aged 73, beloved sister, treasured friend, and world traveler died died Friday, May 14 at Ames Family Hospice House of Westlake. She died of complications of cancer more than two decades after being diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, as she stubbornly ignored side effects of experimental treatments and continued to live her life exactly as she chose. Born August 2, 1947 in Cleveland as the oldest child of the late Albert and Mary (Prestigamo) Tharp, she graduated from Hoban Dominican HS during an era when the urgent expectation was that women marry and have children. Instead, Charlotte became an airline stewardess for American Airlines. She developed a passion for international travel, her own versions of global dishes and a habit of randomly pronouncing words the European way. She lived in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City back when the city was probably a little scary, and say to anyone who called it a dirty city that "you don't deserve to visit." She also lived in Stuttgart, Germany, where she worked for Mercedes-Benz for several years before returning to Cleveland. In Cleveland, she worked as an executive assistant at Diamond Shamrock and the law firm Thompson Hine where she met the love of her life, the late Richard "Dick" Streeter. They lived together in Chagrin Falls, Ohio for most of their marriage. Later in life with her husband's encouragement, she completed her bachelor's degree in liberal arts at Ursuline College. She treasured a lifetime of travel adventures with Dick, hosting family and friends, and morning walks by the ocean after they retired together in Wells, Maine near their granddaughter. Charlotte had endless energy that she channeled into voice-over work, volunteering, gardening, becoming fluent in German and French, curating an amazing wardrobe for herself and upgrading the style of friends and family (willing or not.) Throughout her lifetime she was an enthusiastic student and patron of the performing arts at every level, from high school symphony to Broadway masterpieces. She proudly remembers coming of age as rock-and-roll was exploding out of the Cleveland music scene, and being an early fan and friend of The Cars and singer and bassist Benny Orr's "The Grasshoppers." Charlotte is survived by her brothers James Tharp (Chris), Albert Tharp (Denise) and sister Kathleen Campbell (Jack); nieces Bridget Tharp, Lindsey Schnell (Stephen) and Amanda Tharp (Roberto Vega Peralta), Rosie Ridgway (John), Crystal and Hilary Tharp; stepchildren, Christopher Streeter, Joanna Streeter (Chris Sullivan), Matthew Streeter, and Jonathan Streeter (Lisa Borneman); and granddaughters, Cassidy Streeter and Aidan Streeter. She leaves behind many heartbroken friends from all over the world. Memorial will be held at a later date in Wells, Maine.