Charlene Hope Waszczuk

Charlene Hope Waszczuk was born Charlene Hope Krug in Camden, New Jersey, on July 29, 1955. Charlene’s father passed away before her birth and her mother died when she was 8 years old, leaving her to be raised by her beloved older sisters—or “sissies,” as she called them—Blanche and Kassie, with Kassie’s house being the place she called home.

Charlene met her husband, Zenon, who she called Zenek, as a young teen—Zenek lived just a block away from Charlene’s childhood home. The two were married in 1971 and had five children: Joanne; Zenon Charles; Joshua; Christopher and Savannah Vincentia. Although Charlene and Zenek lost Joanne at 6 months old and Joshua at 13 years old, Charlene never gave up on her most-treasured role as a mother: she poured her heart and soul into raising her kids.

In 1991, Charlene and Zenek waved goodbye to the busy streets of South Jersey and moved their family to an 84-acre farm atop a hill in Seymour, Missouri, where they built a new life together. Charlene was quick to make their new farmhouse a home, decorating the space for every season, planting her many gardens with vegetables and flowers and always making sure there was a home-cooked meal on the table. Soon after moving to Missouri, the family also began attending Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Mansfield—Charlene was born and raised Catholic and continued as a practicing Catholic until her death.

In more recent years, Charlene’s happiest days were spent enjoying the simple things in life, including sewing, cooking, baking, planning parties and gatherings, going out for mini shopping trips with her daughter, planting flowers and herbs, buying the most-thoughtful gifts for her loved ones, watching birds through her kitchen window and sending cards to nearly everyone she knew on every occasion.

Charlene is survived by her husband, Zenon; children, Zenon Charles, Christopher and Savannah Vincentia; future son-in-law, Dylan Gideon; sister, Blanche Malin and brother-in-law Pat Malin; brother-in-law Alexander “Mint” Ambrico; grandchildren, Ivey, Emery, Alayna and Amaya Waszczuk; cousin, Kathy “Gag” Jaworksi-Sitzlow and many more cousins, nieces and nephews.

Charlene was preceded in death by her daughter, Joanne; son, Joshua; grandson, Zane Joshua; sister, Catherine “Kass” Ambrico; parents, Blanche and Charles Krug and many additional family members and friends.

While the loss of Charlene will be a tremendous burden, she would want us to continue to find joy in her most-favorite things: the changing leaves of fall; a fresh, bright blanket of snow in the winter; annual spring flowers poking their way through the thawing ground; summer days spent picking and preserving fresh vegetables. To everything there is a season, and it is only a matter of time until we may be reunited with our sweet Charlene again.