Carlene Eleanor Richelieu

Born on April 12, 1935, in Missoula, Montana, Carlene was the third daughter of Carl and Ellen Braathen. In 1938, her father moved the family to Shasta County to help with the construction of Shasta Dam. Tragically, Carlene’s mother passed away in 1942 when Carlene was only seven years old, leaving her to grow up with her father and three sisters: Margaret, Alice, and Cleo.

Carlene graduated from Shasta High School in 1953 and furthered her education at Shasta College and the University of Oregon, becoming the first in her family to earn a Bachelor's degree. She had a remarkable aptitude for business and worked for over thirty years with the Shasta County Court system.

In 1956, Carlene met Robert Richelieu, and the couple married in December 1958. Together, they were blessed with two children, Rodney and Lianne Richelieu, who brought immense joy and pride to their lives.

A long-time resident of Shasta County, Carlene was a proud member of the Shasta High School Class of 1953 Reunion Committee. She was an avid outdoorswoman, passionate about backpacking into the Trinity Alps, camping annually with her family, biking, and cross-country skiing. Carlene also cherished her Norwegian and Irish heritage and often traveled with family and friends to visit relatives in Norway and Ireland.

Family was at the heart of Carlene’s life. She doted on her four grandchildren—Jessica, Jack, Sean, and Kaiya—and treasured her relationships with her nieces, nephews, and extended family from both the Braathen and Richelieu sides. Carlene loved capturing moments with her camera, documenting the lives of those she loved with thousands of photographs over the years.

Carlene was preceded in death by her sisters, Alice Popejoy and Margaret Balma. She is survived by her son Rodney Richelieu (Susan), daughter Lianne Richelieu (John), grandchildren Jessica Richelieu, Jack Richelieu, Sean Boren, and Kaiya Boren, and sister Cleo Hathaway.

The family expresses heartfelt gratitude to Carlene’s primary caregivers, Jill White and Carrol Swafford for their compassionate and loving care during Carlene's final year at home.