Charlotte N. Seelig

To Charlotte N. Seelig, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Charlotte, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Charlotte really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Charlotte was born on July 3, 1933 in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Her parents were James and Mary Norman. Charlotte was raised in the countryside of Richmond, Virginia. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Charlotte was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Charlotte managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Charlotte was raised with six siblings. She had older sister Madeleen, older brother James, younger sister twins Rose and Ruby, younger brother Robert Wayne, and younger sister Marlene.

All of Charlotte's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Charlotte experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She was a band member in high school. In her spare time she liked climbing tress and picking berries in the woods.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Charlotte was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Charlotte simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Charlotte, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Charlotte graduated from Varina High School in Richmond, Virginia in 1951. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was band. She was a member of the high school band.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Charlotte very easy to approach. On April 24, 1954 Charlotte exchanged wedding vows with Thomas Anthony Seelig at Four Mile Creek Baptist Church of Henrico County, Virginia. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Charlotte related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Charlotte was blessed with seven children, three sons, Thomas Jr., David, Timothy, and four daughters Debra, Donna, Cynthia, and Sharon. They were also blessed with eleven grandchildren, Christopher, Melissa, Alysa, Amber, Benjamin, Tabitha, Crystal, Nicolas, Gabriel, Kayla, Cole, and three great grandsons, Aidan, Everett, and Hudson. Charlotte had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Charlotte's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Charlotte had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Charlotte was a real “people person.” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Charlotte liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Charlotte was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Charlotte's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Charlotte as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She worked as a clerk prior to becoming a wife and mother. She then worked for West Covina Unified School District as a teacher's aide while her children were in school.

Charlotte enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Charlotte liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, playing cards, traveling, and took great joy in watching her children and grandchildren play sports throughout the years. Charlotte was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Charlotte felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Charlotte loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Charlotte relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Charlotte never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included she enjoyed dancing and bowling. Charlotte was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were although not much of a gambler she enjoyed watching the horse races and poker on TV.

A generous person who often wore her heart on her sleeve, Charlotte often found herself involved in activities she deemed important. She was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made her a natural volunteer. Politically, Charlotte was a strong supporter of the Democratic Party and a delegate to the state convention.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Charlotte recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of the Baptist Church.

Living life in the fast lane suited Charlotte just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included a month long R.V. trip to Alaska, cruise to Alaska, week in Hawaii, and the many other R.V. and camping trips.

Charlotte passed away on November 20, 2010 at her home in West Covina, California surrounded by family. She is survived by her husband Thomas, her children Thomas Jr., Debra, David, Donna, Cynthia, Sharon, and Timothy; her brother Wayne and sisters Madeleen, Rose, Ruby, and Marlene; eleven grandchildren and three great grandsons. Services were held at Oakdale Mortuary 1401 South Grand Avenue Glendora, California on December 3rd, 2010. Charlotte was laid to rest in Oakdale Memorial Park in Glendora, California.

Charlotte brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Charlotte N. Seelig lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.