Obituary of Charlene Garner

Charlene Arnitstead Garner, a long time resident of Stratton, Co. passed away peacefully after a 16 month battle with cancer, in her home at the age of 80, with her loving husband Lyle by her side, on December 15, 2010. Charlene was born on July 10, 1930 to Charles and Alma (Shoen) Armitstead in Ruleton, Kansas. She was the fifth child of nine. In March of 1931 her family moved north of Flagler, Co. She attended a country school until her family moved closer to Flagler, where she attended and graduated from Flagler High School in 1948. Charlene married Albert Gwyn on April 30, 1950 and to this union two children were born, David Martin and Mary Ruth. The family would move to Stratton in 1953. Charlene later married Lyle Garner on May 24, 1969, which brought Lyle’s daughter, Sandra Kay, into the family. While living in Flagler, Charlene worked as a nursing assistant at the Flagler hospital. Just hours after giving birth to one of her own children, Charlene would get out of her hospital bed to help deliver another baby. After moving to Stratton, Charlene worked for the Stratton Co-op for a number of years. After marrying Lyle she became very active in the Church of God. Her faith and love of God grew to the point she was not afraid to share her faith with anyone including the doctors, nurses and caregivers who cared for her until her death. Charlene used her hands for a lot of different activities. She loved gardening and caring for her flower which was passed down from her own mother. She won “Gardener of the Month” several times from the Garden Club she belonged to. Charlene did many different crafts but she grew to love quilting. She made many quilts and has passed them along to family members. She loved celebrating birthdays for children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She enjoyed collecting antiques, especially glass slippers, bells, and carnival glass and enjoyed re-furbishing antique furniture pieces. In her later years she and Lyle would travel to many different places and would go on mystery trips where they had no idea where they might end up. Charlene loved her family. She would share stories to her grand children about how life was when she grew up. She shared of wearing dresses made of flour sacks, how hard they worked in the garden and helping her mother can all of those vegetables. She had 9 grandchildren; LaDawn Martinez, Amber Davis, Katina Isenbart, Andy Gwyn, Adrienne Tart, Leslie Burnet, Amanda, Kyle, and Ali Blacketer. She was also blessed with eight great grandchildren; Andres, Mateo, and Jonah Martinez, Gwyneth, Ty, and Zak Davis, Sophie, and Judson Isenbart. Charlene is preceded in death by her parents Charles and Alma Armitstead, 3 brothers; Phil, Jim, and Jerry Armitstead, 3 sisters;Bonnie Conrad, Irene Armitstead, and Juanita Ellison, two brother-in-laws; Kenneth Scheierman and Melvin Sweet, one sister-in-law Norma Borden and a Grandson Andy Gwyn. She leaves to mourn her passing; her loving husband Lyle, son Dave Gwyn& wife Donna of Stratton, Mary Tart and husband Larry of Athens, TX, step-daughter Sandy Blacketer of Arvada, Co, 8 grand-children and 8 great-grandchildren, sisters Liz Conrad of Flagler, Co and Shirley Henry of Branson, Mo. sister-in-laws; Esther Armitstead of Longmont,Co, Edna Armitstead of Ft Plains, NY, Anita Armitstead of Denver, Co, Mable Scheierman and Wanda Sweet of Stratton, Co, brother-in-law Oscar Borden of Penney Farms, Fl, nieces, nephews, many cousins and a world of friends.