Charlotte P. Setter's Obituary
Charlotte P. Setter, 93 of Fayetteville, AR passed away peacefully Thursday, March 7, 2019. She was born November 30, 1925 in Brown County, IN and grew up Lagro, IN, the youngest daughter of Thomas and Mary Belle (Erskine) Ross. She was married 68 years to James (Jim) F. Setter, who died in June 2016.
Charlotte had an adventurous spirit which lead her to live in New York City post high school. More than ten years before statehood in 1948, Charlotte drove the more than one thousand miles of the Alaskan-Canadian Highway to the consternation of her family to see what Alaska was about. In 1949, Charlotte met her kindred adventurous spirit, Jim and they were married in January 1950. Charlotte was honored by her Beta Sigma Phi sorority chapter naming her their sweetheart in 1962. She was a Girl Scout Leader for Brownie and Girl Scout troops for her daughters and homeroom Mom each year. She believed in the Girl Scout golden rule, “Make new friends; but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold”. After giving her children a great start in life she also started working part time at the JCPenny Company in downtown Anchorage, managing the Lamp Department. She became quite the expert selling and fixing lamps of all shapes and sizes. Thank goodness Mom was home the evening of the 1964 M9.2 Alaska earthquake. It was Good Friday and she was at home busy making tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for her family when the M9.2 earthquake hit that destroyed the JCPenny building.
Charlotte lived in Alaska until 1975 when she and Jim retired to Arkansas. They purchased a ten-acre farm where they enjoyed raising cattle, growing tomatoes and tending a huge garden including the best sweet corn ever. Mom was an was avid cross-country skier, square dancer, gardener, and quilter. Her love of quilting took her to many wonderful fabric stores across the state. Mom became a skilled canner of all her garden produce. Her pantry was always full of canned tomatoes, green beans, dill pickles among some of the items. Her grandchildren dug potatoes with her and learned to love gardening. The summer kitchen was always hot from the pressure cooker.
She is survived by one son Ross Setter (Teresa) of Springdale, AR, two daughters, Patricia Nelson ( Steve) of Fairbanks, AK, Karen Percival of Fayetteville, AR, eight grandchildren, Shawn Burke (Tina) , Zacarey Nelson (Teisha Simmons), Ryan Burkevich (Rachel), Emilie Nelson (Greg Conway), Jenna Degerlund (Micah), Matthew Percival, Luke Nelson (Kelsey) and Savannah Setter and eight great grandchildren, Tassy Nelson, Julian, Elliott & Nolan Burke; Henrietta & Charlotte Burkevich, Kayden & Aurora Nelson. She was preceded in death by six brothers, William, Richard, Jack, Robert, Thomas, and Phillip Ross, and five sisters, Bernette Alger, Ruby Schultz, Lois Treska, Betty Jean Ross and Mary Ann Brinson.
A private burial will be held at Fayetteville National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Circle of Life Hospice, 901 Jones Road Springdale, AR 72762.
Charlotte was many, many things in her life, youngest sister to eleven siblings, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, lover of cats and dogs and playing card games. Oh how she loved to play Euchre! She loved to play card games and taught many of her grandchildren how to play. Which they now teach their children. Charlotte was a great cook and nothing made her happier than hosting family for Christmas Eve traditional dinner of clam chowder & potato soup (yes two as some of the grands did not like clams), homemade bread, chocolate covered cherries and pies, lots of pie! She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.
To sign the online guest book please visit www.nelsonberna.com
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