Charlesetta Colbert

Charlesetta, affectionately known as “Chuckie” to all her family and friends was born in the state of Tennessee, in the city of Memphis, the daughter of Artee Stephens and Lillie Lou Austin, on November 18, 1940.  She left Tennessee at the age of 5 and settled in the city of angels, also known as Los Angeles, California. Cousins, aunts, uncles and family were always a big part of Chuckie’s life.

Chuckie received her education in Los Angeles where she attended San Pedro Street elementary school, later graduating from Lafayette Junior high, and thereafter Roosevelt High School.  Soon after graduating she married her high school sweetheart, Godoy Colbert Sr. They remained in Los Angeles for many years and had three children (Carletta, April and Godoy II).  In between that time, Chuckie acquired a job at Xerox Corporation and worked there for 14 years. 

Some time later, the family moved to the city of Compton in the early 1970’s, relocated to the city of Carson in the late 70’s, then finally settled up north in various cities within the San Fernando Valley.  

As a young girl and throughout Chuckie’s life she discovered that she had a natural talent for drawing and creativity.  She could draw people and their unique facial attributes, cartoon characters, sceneries, buildings and landscapes - you name it she could draw it.  So then, Chuckie aspired to be an Artist and a good one at that. In pursuit of her artistic goals she graduated from Waterson College school of arts in 1989.

Chuckie acquired a job as a Solderer, working on computer chips and motherboards at Packard Bell, Incorporated.  Then, in 1994 the Northridge earthquake not only shook the entire San Fernando Valley, Packard Bell provided an unexpected opportunity for relocation up north to Sacramento, California’s state capital, where she lived with her eldest daughter, Carletta, and two grand-children, Ciana and Victorio.  When Packard Bell, Inc. conducted a mass layoff in 1998, Chuckie subsequently acquired employment at another computer company, Comptek Corporation, in Sacramento, CA.

In the early 2000’s Chuckie decided to hang up the computer gloves and pursue her passion for drawing and doing commission work for other people in the entertainment industry.  She especially enjoyed loving on her young grand-children and attending as many family reunions across the country as possible.

For the last 10 years of her precious life Chuckie fought a courageous fight but slowly succumb to complications of chronic small vessel ischemia which slowly digressed to vascular dementia, a condition that literally robbed her of memory, speech and interaction.  However, the family is pleased to share that she passed away peacefully at home on Saturday morning, January 29, 2022.

 Chuckie is preceded by her eldest sibling and brother, John Motley and youngest sister, Linda Kate Stephens.  She is survived by her three children (Carletta, April and Godoy II); her grand-children (Ciana, Victorio, Godoy III and Arianna); her great grandchildren (Zoriyah, Khalia, Marcus, Cairo Blue, Jackson, Amelia and Delorean); as well as many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and other family members.

Although she is no longer with us, SHE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.