Anne DuCharme Obituary

Anne Katherine DuCharme 03-08-14 to 12-25-10 Anne Katherine DuCharme, longtime resident of Carlsbad, NM, passed away peacefully with her family present on 12-25-10 at age 96 3/4. She had been a resident receiving excellent care at Garden of the Gods Care Center in Colorado Springs, CO. She shared a room with her loving boyfriend of 23 years Charles Kellum. She was born on March 8th, 1914 in Eddy County, New Rockford, North Dakota. She graduated from New Rockford High School in 1932 and then went to secretarial and nurse's aid school. On August 3rd, 1940 she united in Marriage with Joseph C. DuCharme of Prairie duChien, Wisconsin. They lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota for 32 years while Anne worked as a nurse's aide and then a hospital ward clerk at Charles T. Miller Hospital in Saint Paul, MN for 25 years. In the summers she cultivated extensive vegetable gardens and in the winter she was a champion snow shoveler. They moved to Eddy County, Carlsbad, NM in 1977 and were active in the Horticulture Society and as volunteers at the Living Desert Zoo and the Carlsbad Senior Center. Anne swam regularly and then started jogging at age 70. At age 72 her friends encouraged her to enter the Roswell, NM Senior Olympics where she won four medals including three gold medals in track and field events. She had many friends and has many who live throughout the U.S. She crocheted and did needle work. She loved to play cards (especially Skip-Bo). She also was a lifelong dancer and taught line dancing in her 80's. She out lived all her friends her age and her other longtime best friends in Carlsbad were Ina Rea and Gary Robertson, Joan Rogers, and Bob Henderson. Joe and Anne had three children: Joanne L. Spofford of Troy Ohio; Richard J. DuCharme, MD (Hedy L.) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Don Ray DuCharme who preceded her in death in 1977. Four of her 5 siblings preceded her in death as did Joseph on July 7th, 1983. She is also survived by granddaughter Jacqlyn DuCharme, Parker, CO; grandson Jeffrey DuCharme of Colorado Springs, CO; granddaughter Sara Robbins and four great grandchildren of Troy, Ohio; and granddaughter Julie Brooke of Taos, NM. Her youngest brother Don (Phyllis) Guler lives in Shreveport, LA. She is also survived by her boyfriend and partner of 23 years with whom she has had a most wonderful and loving relationship, Charles Edward (Dad) Kellum of Peoria, Illinois; and by her adopted son Patrick Owens of Kauai, Hawaii. Anne and Charles attended the Carlsbad Presbyterian Church. She also has cousins Shirley Vikse of Loveland, CO and Lloyd Anderson of Minneapolis, MN; and many nieces and nephews all of whom love her dearly. Anne calmly professed throughout her life that a “good attitude� is one of the most important things in life. She is and has always been dearly loved and will be dearly missed by her family and her many friends. A Memorial Service will be held at the Garden of the Gods Care Center at 10:00 a.m. on Monday 1/7/11. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Pikes Peak Humane Society in Colorado Springs or the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park in Carlsbad, NM.