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Charlene Hunter
1944 - 2025
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- Charlene Hunter
May 14, 1944 - June 5, 2025
Charlene Hunter, born May 14, 1944, in Buffalo Center, Iowa, to Charles
and Anna Tutton, passed away peacefully on June 5, 2025, with her family
by her side. Charlene is survived by her son Jason, his wife Marites, and
her grandson Josh. She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 40
years, W. Harold Hunter, who passed in 2020. Her family was the light of
her life.
After graduating high school, Charlene attended Wartburg College in
Waverly, Iowa, and began her teaching career in nearby high schools. For
decades she taught seventh-grade English at Waverly-Shell Rock Junior
High. One of her students was her own son, Jason, whom she taught both
formally and informally, and who credits her with teaching him most of
what he knows about writing, which he later used to author a best-selling
book.
Charlene was also a talented musician and served as pianist and organist
for her church for many years. Her precision and dedication extended
beyond the classroom and the church. Her kitchen and garage were perfectly
organized, with every item in its place and labeled.
In 1988, Charlene left teaching and moved to Corvallis when Harold
accepted a position at Oregon State University. She enrolled at OSU,
earned a master's degree, and began a second career as fleet manager at
Hewlett-Packard, where she put her attention to detail to good use until
her well-deserved early retirement.
Charlene kept busy in retirement. She volunteered with the OSU Thrift
Store, Assistance League of Corvallis (ALC), and served on the board of
Consumer Power. Through her volunteer work, she formed deep friendships
and found great joy.
Charlene was also an avid tole painter. She could transform plain wooden
objects into works of art, often donating them to ALC's Galleria
fundraiser. Her family would joke if you left something out, it might be
painted by the following week. In 1999, she joined a painting class and
connected with three women who became her best friends: Linda LaPlante,
Helen Tedder, and Helen Whitaker. The foursome met every Thursday morning
to paint, though later the painting gave way to coffee and conversation.
Charlene had a dry wit that took people by surprise and filled a room with
laughter. Her loyalty, kindness, organization, and care will be dearly
missed.
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source: © Corvallis Gazette-Times, Jun. 17, 2025
Additional information from obituary of W. Harold Hunter:
After leaving the ministry, Harold became a development officer for Wartburg
College in Waverly, Iowa. In Waverly he met Charlene Sale, and they were married
on December 20, 1980. A year later he adopted her son, Jason Charles Sale.
source © McHenry Funeral Home, 206 NW 5th St., Corvallis, OR 97330; phone
541-757-8141
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