Charlene Saunders

Charlene Saunders liked to keep her life simple, with her family at the center and her passion for all things in nature just a little off to the side. In fact, she was the happiest when she could combine her two loves, by spending a day with her family communing with nature.

The year was 1923 and America was in the midst of great change. The cities thrived with the booming sounds of industry as the fires of World War I smoldered overseas. However, not everyone in America took part in the industrial revolution – many tended farms and avoided the hectic pace of manufacturing in favor of the small town life. This was the life of Charles A. Garrison and his wife, Nettie (Cole). They lived a modest life on their farm in Kalamazoo County which is now home to Comstock High School. The couple toiled as farmers, growing various crops and raising livestock, including turkeys. On October 24, 1923, the couple wasn’t focusing on farm work, but rather on the newest blessing in their lives. It was on this day they delighted in welcoming the birth of their daughter, Charlene, who was born in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Charlene enjoyed a typical childhood growing up on their farm. Her parents made sure she learned responsibility by pitching in with daily farm chores. Charlene received her education through the eighth grade in the area country schools and went on to graduate from Comstock High School in 1940. She then attended Parson’s Business School for a time before securing a job at Kalamazoo Stove Company.

Charlene was only 15 when she met a young man named Don Saunders, who spotted her walking down the street as he was driving by. Love struck, he stopped his car and wasted no time in asking Charlene out. After only two weeks of courting, Don knew that Charlene was his one true love and told her he would marry her some day. As fate would have it, they were happily married two days after her 18th birthday on October 26, 1941. A mere 13 months later, Don and Charlene were overjoyed with the birth of their first child, a son they named Bruce. He was later joined by Jon and Bonnie, who rounded out the Saunders family.

Besides being a devoted wife and mother, Charlene had always aspired to be a teacher. So after her children were in high school, she returned to school at Western Michigan University, where she earned her teaching degree in 1965. Over the next 20 years, Charlene taught at various schools, including Parkview and Nottawa, but spent the longest amount of time teaching in the Vicksburg Community Schools. An admired teacher, Charlene strove to make learning fun for her students, which left indelible memories with many of them who stayed in contact with her through the years.

When it came to summer breaks, Charlene and Don wasted no time in packing up their camper and hitting the road out west, where they spent the entire summer. Once they were both retired, they took their love for travel even further and visited Hawaii, Alaska and Mexico, and enjoyed wintering in the warm weather of Florida for 16 years. Charlene was a passionate nature lover, and she was able to see and experience many wonders of nature on their travels. Her knowledge of birds and rocks were quite extensive, and it wasn’t unusual for her to tote home tons of rock samples to show her students. Her family was not exempt from her passion either; she wanted them to appreciate nature just as much she did. For her grandkids, she enjoyed having “wild dinners”, which could consist of eating edible plants like dandelions, day lilies, among others. A perfect day for Charlene would be spending an adventurous day among nature and seeing her family enjoy it too!

Charlene and Don lived on Indian Lake, a place they called home for 45 years. Charlene loved it here, and being by the lake, she had much nature to observe. However, she also felt at home in Hawaii with its beautiful sunsets and nature galore. While in Florida for the winter, the couple enjoyed getting together with their friends to play cards, and once back in Michigan, they stayed in touch via e-mail. With her unforgettable sense of humor and charm, who could forget Charlene! People she met always walked away with a smile because of her loving humor and kind heart.

Sadly, Charlene was diagnosed with cancer in January 2008, and after suffering a stroke last week, she passed away on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. All who knew and loved Charlene will treasure her memory.

Learn more about Charlene, view her life story film and visit with her friends and family on Friday, March 28, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, 409 S. Main Street, Vicksburg. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 29, at 11 a.m. at Lakeland Reformed Church.

Members of Charlene’s family include her husband, Don Saunders; children: Bruce (Mikie) Saunders and Jon (Val) Saunders both of Vicksburg; grandchildren: ,Jodi Saunders, Lachelle Golding, Don Alan Saunders, Lisa Neely, Kevin Saunders and Grant Saunders; three great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Bonnie, in December of 2006. Please visit Charlene’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a favorite memory or photo with her family or sign her online guest book before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Lakeland Reformed Church or The Nature Conservancy.