Obituary of Charlotte Leafblad

Charlotte Elaine Leafblad was tucked into bed the evening of January 1, 2013, and awoke around 2 AM on January 2 to the music of Heaven and the smiling face of Jesus, her Lord and Savior. Charlotte was born August 9, 1927 to Ralph Waldo and Myrtle Watt when they lived in Port Wing, Wisconsin. The family, including brothers Ralph Lowell ('22) and Rayburn Eugene ('23), moved to the shore of Lake Superior in Bayfield, WI in 1937. She attended Bayfield High School during the war years of 1941-1945. Turning 16 was truly sweet, for in the summer of '43 she met her beloved Paul when he ordered a pineapple sherbet malted at the soda fountain of Holm Drug Store where she worked. Thus began over 69 years of romance, laughter, adventure, and a growing love. Char entered Augsburg College in Minneapolis in the fall of 1945, while Paul started Bethel College in St. Paul in 1946. She graduated in 1949 with a degree in education and business, married Paul on September 4, 1948, and then taught in Battle Lake, MN from 1949 -1951 while Paul was finishing school in the Twin Cities. They moved to Waukegan, IL in 1951 and promptly had three children-Daniel ( Barbara) Leafblad, Timothy (Pamela) Leafblad, and Debra (Douglas) Gillaspie. While raising the children, she taught Sunday school, sang in the choir, led Pioneer Girls and women's ministries, and kept the books for Leafblad Landscaping. As the kids got a bit older, she taught business and typing at Waukegan High School and was church secretary from 1975-1990 at Immanuel Baptist. Her tiny home on Walnut Street oozed hospitality and was generally a hub of activity for the neighborhood and church from 1956-1996. Paul and Char moved to Door County, WI in 1996, moving back to Waukegan in 2004. Char entered Rolling Hills Place in Zion in August 2012. Charlotte has nine adoring grandchildren--Lars-Erik (Maren) Leafblad, Kelly (Seth) Rust, Megan (Michael ) Gottschalk, Katie (Ben) Schmidt, Ryan (Megan) Gillaspie, Diana (Nathan) Pratt, Korey Leafblad, Nels Leafblad, and Peter (Andrea) Leafblad. She also has eleven adorable great grandchildren--Bergen, Annika, and Ingrid Leafblad, Mariana and Noelle Rust, Britta and Tessa Schmidt, Phoenix, Jade, and Rogue Gillaspie, and Aurora Pratt. Charlotte lived a full and eventful life, one marked by laughter, hard work, service and blessing to others. She loved family history, believed she was a participant in a larger story, and taught her children to accumulate and build memories and friendships, not material things. As much as she loved northern Wisconsin and Waukegan, she reminded us that our true home was in Heaven, and that we should focus our mind's attention and heart's affection on Jesus. She leaves a legacy of wisdom and faith. Is there any better gift? It has been a wonderful life. We grieve, but not as those without Hope. There will be a private interment. We will celebrate Char's life in a memorial service at Immanuel Church in Gurnee, where she was a member for over 60 years. There will be visitation on Thursday, Jan 31 from 6:00-9:00 at Congdon Funeral Home in Zion, and again on Feb 1 at Immanuel from 9:00-11:00, with the service at 11:00, to be followed by a luncheon. In lieu of flowers, please direct any gifts to Bethel University in St. Paul, Moody Bible Institute, or Immanuel Church.