Charlene Lucille Carter

Charlene Lucille Carter Charlene Lucille Carter made her trip home to our Lord Jesus Christ on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, from Hospice House in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlene was born on August 14, 1933, one of three children born to William Galt Carter and Lettie Grace Sherman in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was predeceased by both her mother and father and two sisters, Patricia and Beverly. Charlene was particularly impatient to see her sisters again in heaven. Charlene was a terrific and energetic mother of six children, all surviving. Her former husband, James David Themins, currently resides in Mesa, Arizona. As a young mother, Charlene enjoyed "bridge" club and bowling with her friends. She has always enjoyed sewing which ran the gamut of making her own clothing, to Easter dresses for her five daughters and Christening gowns for her grandchildren and friends' babies. Charlene worked as a secretary over the past 45 years, retiring in 2004 from Honeywell in Mesa, Arizona. Her other positions included one with Marshall Public Schools and a law firm.

Charlene's children learned a lot from her from taking care of a family, being a good listener and how to run a kitchen and entertain. Charlene loved to cook and bake for others - her french bread, chocolate chip cookies and beef Burgundy were famous. Not many people know Charlene pitched softball on a city league competing against her daughters' teams. She also enjoyed digging up old bottles around homesites in Marshall, Michigan, where she lived with her family in the 1970's. A regular attendee of services at First Baptist Church, in Charlottesville, Charlene leaves many friends behind, and has joined many of them in heaven! Some of Charlene's favorite Bible verses are found in John, Chapter 14 and Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." Her six children, all surviving, are Laura Themins, husband Dave Brown, Kathleen Niichel and husband, John, Linda Potocki and husband, Drew, Patrick Themins and wife, Brenda, Cecelia Themins, and Maria Hedges and husband, John; also 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Services will be held 3 p.m. Friday, October 12, 2012, at Northside Baptist Church in Charlottesville.

Charlene requested memorial contributions be made to the Pregnancy Centers of Central Virginia. Cremation Society of Virginia assisted with the arrangements.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.