Williams, Charlene L. (1949-2008)

WILLIAMS, YATES, KISTING, MEANS, WILKISON, BERGERSON, KLEMME, HENRY, ROLLING, HAGAN

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/29/2008 at 11:54:25

From: Le Mars Daily Sentinel, April 29, 2008

Charlene Williams, 58, of Seney, died Saturday, April 26, 2008, at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Charlene L. Yates was born Sept. 20, 1949, at Akron, the daughter of Clarence and Leona (Kisting) Yates. Charlene lived on a farm near Brunsville until she was 6 years old and the family moved to Le Mars. She attended elementary school in Le Mars and graduated from Le Mars Community High School in 1967.

As a young woman, Charlene had worked at the B & B Store, Frontier Café, Dobson Grocery Store, and the Club Café. It was while she worked at the Club Café she met her future husband, Dick. Charlene was united in marriage to Richard "Dick" Williams on Oct. 7, 1967, at the First United Methodist Church in Le Mars. Charlene worked at Aalfs Manufacturing for 22 years. Following the closing of the plant, Charlene attended Western Iowa Tech where she was an "honor student" graduating in 2002 with an associates degree. In 2000, she started her career at the Le Mars Daily Sentinel. She was the mail-room supervisor until last month when her health prevented her from working.

Charlene enjoyed helping with her grandchildren and reading books.

She will be remembered for her inner strength, dedication, and wonderful sense of humor.

She will be lovingly remembered her husband of 40 years, Dick of Seney; three daughters and families, Stacie and Mike Means and their children Hayden and Jacob of Hinton, Carrie and Mike Wilkison and their children Gavin and Ella, of Hawarden and Jessica Williams and her fiancée Jason Peters and their children Kaylie and Rylie of Le Mars; four sisters, Darlene and Selmer Bergerson of Knoxville, Tenn., Arlene Klemme of Akron, Marlene Henry of Kingsley, and Eilene and Jerry Rolling of Le Mars; several nieces and nephews; and her many friends and coworkers of the Le Mars Daily Sentinel.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Leona (Kisting) Yates; a son, Troy in infancy; brothers-in-law, Dale Klemme, Emmett Henry, and Gerald "Corky" Hagan; and her godson, Brian Rolling.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars with the Rev. Jason Larson of the Seney United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation will be after 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Carlsen Funeral Home with the family present to greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Visitation will continue Thursday morning from 9:30 a.m. until service time.

Pallbearers will be Mike Means, Mike Wilkison, Jason Peters, Dan Klemme, Bruce Rolling, and Doug Hagan. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandchildren, Hayden and Jacob Means, Gavin and Ella Wilkison, and Kaylie and Rylie Peters.