Born in Geddes, South Dakota, Charlene May Odeen married her husband, Don, in 1954, and they moved to Spokane six years later. Don, who died in 1995, worked for Wonder Bread for 30 years. Charlene worked for 25 years as a cook, and eventually head cook, in the Mead School District.

Charlene and her son, Kelly, were close their entire lives. She lived with Kelly in Spokane in recent years, and he helped to take care of her. “She was always there for me, no matter what,” Kelly said. “Thick or thin, all our lives.”

She enjoyed painting and gardening, and liked country music, playing the accordion and dancing. She died Jan. 9 after an 18-day battle with COVID-19 and pneumonia at Providence Holy Family Hospital; she was 89.