Charlene Mary Strang

Charlene Mary Perkins Strang, 95
TOPSHAM - Charlene Mary Perkins Strang, 95, of The Highlands in Topsham, died Nov. 30, 2015 following a short illness.
Charlene was a Social Worker and Child Custody Protective Worker for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for over 33 years, working out of the Rockland office until she retired in 1995. A long-time Camden resident, she moved to The Highlands in Topsham after her husband of 55 years, Walter Strang DDS, died. She lived independently in her own home until her passing.
Born on April 16, 1920 in her grandparents' home at 21 Bean Street in Madison, Charlene was the only child of two only children, her parents, Bessie May Berry and Herman G. Perkins of Madison. In addition to her parents, she was especially close to her grandfather, Granville D. Perkins, who owned and ran G. D. Perkins Hardware store on Main St. in Madison.
Charlene excelled academically. She graduated from Madison High School in 1937 and went on to the University of Maine in Orono, where she was an honor student and active member of the University Orchestra and Chi Omega Sorority. She graduated with a BA in Sociology in 1941.
Charlene's first job after college was at Employers Assurance Company in Boston, making $18 a week. After a year working in the city, she married her college sweetheart, Walter Strang, on July 26, 1942 in her family home at 17 Bean Street in Madison.
The newlywed couple soon moved to Portland and Charlene worked at the South Portland Shipbuilding Corporation. After her husband joined the Coast Guard and left for training, she returned to Madison and taught history and freshman math. In 1943, she moved to Newport, RI for one year where he was stationed. When he left for active duty in the North Atlantic, she returned home to Madison where their son, Jonathan Peter was born on July 10, 1945 in Farmington, Maine. Her husband did not even know he had a son until he arrived back in Boston a month later on V-J Day, August 14, 1945.
After the war, in September of 1946 they moved to Baltimore, Md., where her husband attended dental school and she worked for the City of Baltimore Public Welfare Department, handling medical aid to indigent residents. This work sparked her desire to attend law school, a highly unusual career path for women at that time, but they did not have the money. After Walter graduated from dental school in the fall of 1950, they settled in Camden, where they remained until his death in 1997.
In 1956 they designed and built a modern passive solar house on a parcel of land across from Norumbega that was part of the Keep Estate. There they welcomed their second child, Meredith Nancy on April 27, 1956.
Charlene rejoined the work force in 1962 as a social worker, handling adoptions and foster placements. She ultimately specialized in divorce custody cases, throughout six counties: Knox, Waldo, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Kennebec and Androscoggin. She testified in just about every courthouse in Maine, often in extremely emotional cases. Following several death threats, she developed proficiency with firearms. She used to shoot at the Thomaston State Prison practice range, and bested a number of local police officers in her time.
After much research into jobs that would enable her to travel more, she opened Camden Travel in 1976 with her business partner, Joan Hardy. The business was very successful and she enjoyed many many trips all over the world including Russia, Europe, Alaska, South America, Egypt, Japan and Korea before selling the agency in 1990.
Charlene was very active in the Camden community and a member of numerous clubs: the Woman's Club; Camden Yacht Club, which made her a honorary member in 2015; the Camden-Rockport Megunticook Golf Club; The Camden Garden Club; the Monday Club; and the Book Club to name a few.
In 1998, Charlene moved to her own house at The Highlands in Topsham, where she enjoyed many friends and activities over the past 17 years. Her thirst for learning never ended, and she took many senior college classes and often attended public lectures. In addition to playing bridge, another favorite activity was studying and following the stock market.
Charlene was predeceased by her dear husband, Walter P. Strang; her parents; and her daughter-in-law, Carrie Novak Strang. She is survived by her son, Jonathan Peter Strang of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., her daughter, Meredith Strang Burgess of Cumberland; and her three grandchildren, Christopher James Burgess and his wife, Erin Miner Burgess of Westbrook, Matthew Strang Burgess and his wife, Lauren McFarland Burgess of Westbrook, and Andrew Charles Burgess of Providence, RI.
Special thanks to her special caregivers over the past few years especially Barbara, MaryAnn, Amanda, Patty and Shelley.
A Celebration of Life Reception will be held Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015 at The Highlands Maine Lodge, in the Georgetown Parlor from 4 to 6 p.m. In addition, a Memorial Service will be held Monday, Dec. 7, 2015 at The First Congregational Church of Camden at 1 p.m. with a private burial preceding the service.
Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main Street, Waldoboro. You can share condolences to the family by visiting Charlene's Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com

In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made to:
The Maine Cancer Foundation
170 US Route One
Falmouth, ME 04105 or:
Ronald McDonald House
Charities of Maine
250 Brackett
Portland, ME 04102