Anne Mallonee Charles (1926-2014)
CHARLES, SCHRADER, PENLERICK
Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 6/15/2014 at 20:43:42
From Stevens Memorial Chapel obituary, Ames, Story County, Iowa:
Charles, Anne Mallonee. Died May 31, 2014 in Wayne NE, aged 88.
Anne was born on January 18, 1926 and spent her childhood in Raleigh, North Carolina. During the years after her father's death in 1936 her family moved to Southern California after a brief stay in Florida. Following graduation from Pasadena High School she went on to attend the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with a degree in Public Health.
One day in 1945 on the train back to college after a visit home, an attractive young army officer sat down next to her. They chatted, one thing led to another, and a year and a half later they were married. Anne and Don shared life for the next 65 years until his death in 2012, first in Lincoln, Nebraska where Don finished his graduate degrees, then in Ames, Iowa for nearly six decades and finally in Wayne, Nebraska near their daughter Laura.
Together they raised four children, parenting continuously for nearly 30 years. Anne was an accomplished cook. Both she and Don enjoyed trying new and adventuresome dishes, sometimes to the annoyance of their children. Don was a dedicated gardener and Anne canned, froze, and preserved his garden produce in tremendous quantities. Even very late in life, when she could no longer cook, she liked to read recipes and think about interesting things to do in the kitchen. They both loved cats and were owned by a great many during their years together. Her last cat was with her in her final moments. She gave freely of herself to her children and many others, frequently volunteering to lead scout groups, provide cookies for a school bake sale, or anything else for anyone who needed help.
Her love of making and doing made her an integral part of Ames' expanding creative community. This included working to support the original Octagon Center for the Arts during its rapid growth through the 1960s and 70s. She helped to organize the first Ames Summerfest and many other community activities. Her own artistic talents took her into stitchery, weaving, oil painting, batik and various creative pursuits involving fibers, fabrics, and other media. She learned to make her own natural dyes and at times spun her own thread from wool.
As her children grew up, Anne had more time to help other people and began volunteering at a local nursing home. She quickly recognized that the few services then available to seniors left gaps and were not well coordinated. As always, when she saw a need, she worked to meet it. With her colleagues at the Story County Council on Aging (later known as Heartland Senior Services), she began to define and implement a set of premier adult day services for the Ames community. In the early years she was often the programs' transporter, cook, activity director, supervisor, therapist, fundraiser and – always – visionary. In addition to coordinating meals on wheels and visiting nurse services, the center provided numerous daytime activities, medical support and onsite meals (transportation included). The program, the first such in Iowa, grew quickly, and Anne was instrumental in obtaining a former school building to house its growth. Anne continued to manage the day services and to raise funds from federal, state, and private sources until her retirement in 1986. In later years she received many awards and other recognition for her work. She was described in one as 'The Little Engine that Could'.
Anne often said that there was "some good in everyone", and always put people and events in the most positive light. Her attitude was self-fulfilling, consistently bringing out the best in people. She will be sorely missed.
Anne was preceded in death by her parents, brother, husband Don, and their daughter, Linda. She leaves behind children, Chris Charles of San Francisco, CA, Laura (Mark) Penlerick of Wayne, NE, and Andrew (Audrey) Charles of Naperville IL; grandchildren, Jenny, Sara and Jay Schrader, Brittany and Nick Penlerick, Owen Charles, Lee and Nora Charles; and great-grandchildren, Alejandro, Alia, and Cruz.
Memorials may be sent to Heartland Senior Services at 205 S. Walnut Ave. Ames Iowa 50010.
Arrangements under the direction of Stevens Memorial Chapel, Ames, IA.
http://www.dignitymemorial.com/stevens-memorial-chapel/en-us/index.page
Story Obituaries maintained by Mark Christian.
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