Charlotte Rose Benfiet

April 1936. The third of seven children of Joseph Heier and Elizabeth Zahn Heier. At age 14,

she met the love of her life at a school dance, Sebastian Christopher Benfiet, and they courted

for four years under the watchful eye of her father before getting married on August 30th, 1954

In the decade to come, they had four boys, Gene, Paul, Russell, and Randall along with a

beautiful girl, Candice Anne, who died in infancy. The family left North Dakota for a new future in

1967, and landed in Parkrose on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon.

Sebastian found work at Egners Shoe Repair and Charlotte focused on raising their four boys.

An active mother, she supported their endeavors of music, paper routes, scouting chickens,

church activities, whatever it took to keep them engaged. She was even a webelo leader.

Prescott Elementary, Fremont, Parkrose and Saint Rita's Church, one by one, she got her boys

through graduation, and confirmation.

As the boys grew older, Sebastian opened Parkrose Shoe Hospital in 1976, and retired in 2010.

At age 50, she got herself a job at Portland Adventist Hospital in the Housekeeping Department,

a career that gave her great satisfaction and many lifelong friends. Even at 88 years of age, she

was ready to go to work in her heart at 11pm.

During this time, she raised her grandkids. Gene and Sherry had Jennifer; Paul and Cheryl,

had Daniel and Mellisa; and Russell and Kathryn had Shanna. In the fullness of time came

great grandchildren, Zoey, Brandon, Hannah, Ryan and Shyanne. Their family life also had

three birds, Sweetie, Tweaker, and Purdy and two dogs, Sassy and Boo.

After retirement, Charlotte got the first of 3 tattoos. The first was an alligator, the second was a

bracelet that had her life long motto “FROG”, meaning “Forever Rely on God”, the final tattoo

was her own design was a bouquet of 4 leaf clovers representing her five children.

After 61 years of loving marriage and companionship, her husband, Sebastian was called home

by God in 2011. She found solace in the community of Saint Rita's Catholic Church. She filled

her life with Mass and songs, baptism sponsorship, guild meetings, prayers and cleaning the

church. A very happy time surrounded by friends and purpose. The time came for her to move

into The Heights at Columbia Knoll, a place of her choosing. There she enjoyed all the activities

of song hour, social groups and parties. She met so many wonderful people as she would walk

the halls for exercise. It came time for God to call her home but he granted her the independent

life she wanted with friends, community and a song in her heart, loved by all. We will carry her

light within us and the echo of her love forever in our hearts.