Alice Charlene Casperson

1932 - 2021

Alice Charlene Casperson

November 7, 1932 – September 20, 2021

Alice Charlene Casperson passed away on September 20, 2021, at her home after an extended illness.

Charlene was born November 7, 1932, in Monroe, Utah to Charles LeRoy and Ruby Martha Jensen Arnold, the second of five children. She spent her youth and childhood in Monroe where she was always striving to excel scholastically. She always loved music and performed in singing groups and solo in school, community, and church functions. She played clarinet in her high school marching band for five years, excelling in state competitions. All through her life, she sang beautifully. She also had the amazing ability to whistle any tune.

Charlene began working at age 14 at a local restaurant and as a high school senior, worked at her grandmother's restaurant, in charge of the day shift. Upon graduation from high school in 1951, she went to Salt Lake City where she worked and attended Henager School of Business while living at her aunt's home. A year and a half later, she enrolled at Utah State in Logan, Utah. It was at Utah State where she met a dashing young man from Idaho who swept her off her feet. Max and Charlene were engaged two months after they met and married 6 months later in the Manti Temple on April 10, 1953. At Utah State, she worked part-time for the Asst. Dean of the School of Agriculture and for the Dean of the School of Home Economics.

Charlene and Max planned to continue their education, but Max's father was diagnosed with cancer soon after they were married, and they had to return home to take care of the family farm and sheep operation. Having dropped out of the ROTC to manage the family operation, Max was drafted into the army in October, changing their lives perhaps forever. They lived in Fort Ord, California, and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri during basic training. In April 1954, Max received orders to go to Europe and Charlene had to drive home from Missouri alone. Max served as a company office clerk at battalion headquarters in Verdun, France, and was able to obtain permission for Charlene to join him there. While they were stationed in France for 17 months, they were able to travel and see a considerable amount of Europe. Their first daughter, Saundra was born in France. Upon returning to the US, they had saved enough money to buy a new 1955 Chevy Impala which they would drive from New York to Burley, Idaho.

They farmed with Max's dad until they purchased 640 acres south of Burley to farm. They raised calves and farmed until 1967, when they sold the land and purchased Farm & City in Twin Falls, Idaho. Charlene was an active part of these businesses, whether it was driving trucks or tractors, irrigating, or feeding calves, bookkeeper, secretary, merchandise buyer, and taking care of the growing family. They started building horse trailers in 1977, thus starting a new adventure. Charmac is named after Charlene and Max and is a tribute to the fact that they both worked hard and built the trailer company business together.

Charlene owned a flower shop and antique shop for eight years. Of the two, she enjoyed antiquing the most. She loved researching antiques of all kinds and they traveled across the country gathering antiques for the store. She was an excellent writer and loved to research genealogy. She published two genealogy books entitled, My Danish History, and My Arnold Ancestry. These were a labor of love.

Charlene was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved her service to the church and held many positions throughout her life. As a young mother, she was honored to sing with the "Singing Mothers" in the Salt Lake City Tabernacle. Max and Charlene completed a mission at Winter Quarters Visitors Center in Omaha, Nebraska from 1999-2000. They thoroughly enjoyed their time there. Charlene served in the Boise and Twin Falls temples for ten years.

Charlene became very knowledgeable as a health caregiver when Max was ill, before and after many surgeries. She loved her family and was always proud of her children's accomplishments. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and at the last family reunion, it was important to account for each new baby.

She loved the Christmas holiday and always made extra efforts to make this a special time for the family. The Casperson Christmas Lights have been enjoyed by many in our community. She baked and decorated for weeks, as well as making handmade items, printing family history books and photos, and making extra efforts to have fun times planned for all ages. She was devoted to her husband, Max, and generous to a fault. She could never split something down the middle but insisted on giving the larger portion to him. They have been happily married for 68 years.

They enjoyed traveling in Europe as a young couple and later in life enjoyed traveling in their motor home.

They made many lifelong friends on these journeys throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

She is and will continue to be missed by all those who knew her and loved her.

Charlene is survived by her husband, Max Casperson of Twin Falls, Idaho; children, Saundra (Creed) Robinson, Tammy Larson, Jan (Max) Yingst, Craig (Anna) Casperson, Karol (Todd) Messersmith, Lloyd (Tara) Casperson, Chris (Todd) Campbell, Clayton Casperson; 22 grandchildren and 51 great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Charles LeRoy and Ruby Arnold, son-in-law, Douglas Larson, and grandson, Brayden Max Casperson.

The family would like to extend their appreciation to the Hospice Visions staff and Dr. Brian Fortuin for their excellent care of Charlene.

A viewing will be held on Friday, Sept 24 at the Twin Falls South Stake Center from 6-8 pm and Saturday from 10-10:45 a.m. A memorial service will be held at the Twin Falls South Stake Center, 541 Orchard Drive at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 25, 2021, and the graveside service will follow at 3:30 p.m. at View Cemetery, 647 East 600 South, Burley, Idaho. A live-stream of the service will be available to watch on Charlene's obituary page at whitereynoldschapel.com.

Memories, condolences, and photos may be shared with the family on Charlene's memorial page at whitereynoldschapel.com.