Charlene Wickering

06/02/1938 - 08/28/2025

"What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us." - Helen Keller
It is with gratitude as well as a profound sense of loss that we share the passing of Charlene Ann Wickering in her home on Thursday August 28, 2025 after an enduring health challenge.
Char was born June 2, 1938, in the Upper Peninsula of St. Ignace, Michigan, to William and Frances Lenkowski. With her parents and siblings, Char moved to Grayling, Michigan. Her high school years were spent at St. Mary's in Gaylord, Michigan. Char received her BSN from Western Michigan University and as an avid learner, she went on to receive her Masters in Social Work from Western Michigan University. Char spent years as a registered nurse in hospitals and private rehab clinics and the last half of her career was spent in Social Work making a difference for the lives of many with Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in private consulting.
In the years before she returned to nursing school, she was an x-ray technician at Mercy Hospital in Grayling and Detroit. While in Detroit, Char also worked for Hudson's in gift wrapping during the Christmas season and kept her sister Bonnie enthralled with the bows she taught her to create for packages. Walking the roads of her neighborhood in the spring, when all the trilliums were in bloom, brought her joy. Sitting down by the river that she lived on brought her joy as well as gardening and planting her flowers. She found beauty in art, music, and nature, and with all her devotion and love, she brought joy to her entire family.
Charlene was a woman of many accomplishments, talents, skills and a woman of style. She excelled at tennis and skiing, especially at Boyne Mountain and she also enjoyed sailing with her husband and friends, and swimming with her children and grandchildren. She had the great opportunity to travel to many wonderful places in the world. Her career spanned many years as a registered nurse and she retired from social work with a passion for helping people through the trauma and grief in their lives. She was an excellent seamstress and while busy raising four daughters, her grandchildren were the recipients of many cherished outfits sewn by Char. She loved wildflowers, music, animals (especially cats), and the beauty of nature. Char and Terry spent many wonderful evenings with the Grand Rapids Symphony. If you knew Charlene, then were blessed to call her wife, mother, sister and friend. She has left her legacy with each member of her family that will last a lifetime. No member of this family will ever smell lavender without thinking of Charlene.
Surviving to cherish their memories of this loving woman are her devoted husband, Terry Wickering of Grand Rapids, Michigan; daughters, Camille Mackowiak, also of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Adrienne Mackowiak, of Montague, Michigan; stepson Kevin (Lisa) Wickering of Holland, Michigan, stepdaughter Kerri (Ken) Gielda of Memphis, Tenn.; brother Bill (Cherie) Lenkowski of Draper, Utah, sister, Bonnie (Dave) Zaruca of Toledo, Ohio; 12 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren with one due in September. Also surviving to cherish their memories are several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews who cherished Char. Her two cats, Venus and Skye will feel this loss deeply. Preceding her in death, are her daughters Kimberly Ann Drawdy and Angelle Marie Mackowiak; and her parents.
The funeral service will be held at 11 am on Friday September 5, 2025 at the Metcalf & Jonkhoff Funeral Home. Visitation for family and friends will be at the funeral home on Thursday from 4 to 7 pm, and also one hour prior to the service on Friday. Memorial contributions in Charlene's name may be made to Compassionate Friends, C/O Connie, 248 Abbie St. S.E., Wyoming, Michigan 49548.