Charlsie Meador Burnaman was born May 18, 1929 in Etoile, Texas to Vivian Mae (Phillips) and Charlie C. Meador, and passed away after a lengthy illness on April 19, 2021 in Nacogdoches, Texas at the age of 91 years, 11 months, and 1 day.
Charlsie grew up during the Great Depression and learned early in life the value and necessity of hard work and fiscal responsibility. Her brother Charles started teaching her to plow with a mule when she was about nine years old. Their mother did not approve of these “lessons”, but Charlsie would sneak off to the fields whenever mama was not watching. She firmly believed that learning how to work a mule and raise a crop literally saved the family after her father was unable to work and her brother was drafted during World War II. Charlsie maintained these character traits throughout her life and was described by anyone who knew her as extremely hard working and could outwork many men. During her final few months of life her inability to get around and do for herself weighed heavily on her. Charlsie did not want to be a burden on anyone.
Charlsie graduated from Etoile High School in 1946 as one of the top students in her class, and attended business college and cosmetology school in Nacogdoches. She married Loith Herman Burnaman August 20, 1948 and began her working career as owner and operator of grocery stores and cafés for many years in Etoile. During this time, she and her husband Loith also ran a small cattle operation. Charlsie was obligated to tend to a majority of the store and cattle business because Loith was a self-employed logger. Charlsie was also employed by the United Postal Service, retiring in 2003 after nearly 30 years of service, the last 18 years as the postmaster of the Chireno Post Office.
In 1972 Charlsie and Loith bought land in Chireno, built a home, and made the move from Etoile to Chireno. This beautiful place was an immense source of pride to them. Charlsie loved to garden and grew a variety of fruits and vegetables. She canned and preserved as much as possible. Flower gardens were also seen around the house; Charlsie loved yellow flowers, especially yellow roses.
Charlsie Meador Burnaman loved the Lord and was a Methodist by faith and attended the Chireno United Methodist Church for many years. Charlsie also enjoyed attending other churches in the area, enjoying hearing the Word of God regardless of the denomination. After the death of her husband in 2004, Charlsie was an active volunteer in the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP) and thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship of bus tours across the nation with RSVP. To say that Charlsie was an accomplished 42 player would an understatement; she was National Champion of a 42-tournament sponsored by the late Charles Wilson, former Congressman from Lufkin, Texas. Charlsie and her partner won local and regional tournaments and then competed in and won the national championship in Washington, D.C. in 1990. She was a strong-willed Texas woman who was proud of her Meador name and her Texas heritage. She was an active member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, having descended from Dr. Richard Meador of Virginia who immigrated to the Republic of Texas in 1839. Charlsie will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Charlsie Meador Burnaman is survived by sister and brother-in-law, Nelda and Ken Rupert; nieces, Carolyn (Meador) Cox and husband Lane; Marvis (Meador) Johnson and husband Gary; nephews, Charles W. Meador and wife Marsha; Jerry Meador and wife Tracey; and numerous great-nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.
Charlsie was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother and sister-in-law, Charles James and Gwen (Layton) Meador; sister and brother-in-law, Etta Mae and Buel Burnaman; nephews, Larry Meador, Pat Cox, and John Burnaman; nieces, Donna Gene (Deannie) Meador and Charlotte Robinson; and great-nephews, Michael Cox and Matthew Meador.
Friends and family are invited to a visitation from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, 2021, at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home officiated by Bro. Glen Morton and Bro. Farrar Bentley. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park.
Serving as pallbearers will be Mark Meador, Chester Johnson, Jason Meador, Jacob Meador, Tucker Meador, Casey Meador, and Kade Cox. Honorary Pallbearers will be Jennifer Meador Hardy, Rebecca Meador Wells, Kim Johnson, Sherri Cox Taylor, Cindy Meador Barrett, and Savannah Meador Pinkerton.
Memorial contributions may be made in Charlsie's name to Rock Haven Nursing Home or Heart to Heart Hospice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors, Nacogdoches.
