Charlotte Anna Ferraro

Charlotte Anna Ferraro passed away on Thursday, March 5, 2015. Charlotte was born in Battle Creek, Michigan on March 26, 1924, second daughter of Charles Grant and Gladys (Yaw) Grant. She graduated from Battle Creek High School. After working a year at Michigan Bell in Battle Creek as an operator, she became the first member of her family to go to college, graduating in 1947 from Western Michigan University with a teaching degree in elementary art. She taught at Battle Creek Lakeview schools, then at Portage elementary school. On June 18, 1949 she was united in marriage with Lancellotto Angelo Ferraro at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Charlotte was a devoted mother to their six children, supporting her husband’s photo studio and all her children’s wide variety of endeavors. She was an active member of the Delta Chapter of Alpha Beta Epsilon sorority from her college days throughout her life, serving in almost every position on the board and writing the history of the organization. She created a unique fundraiser for ABE, making all the puppets, stage and scenery for a traveling production of a Bill Baird play, “The Magic Onion”. She was also an active member of AAUW, the Ladies Library and was an election poll worker for many years. She enjoyed traveling with family, especially after her retirement from Kalamazoo Public Schools. She and Lance flew in a hot air balloon, travelled to California by Amtrak, visited family in New York, Virginia, North Carolina, the Dakotas and Washington D.C. and went to Paris France in 2003 and Italy in 2007. She loved visiting Lake Michigan and hunting the beach for interesting stones. She could make almost any project in sewing from her own wedding gown to a turtle shell for a Halloween costume, doll clothes and formal dresses. Crocheted items were standard gifts. She often created her own patterns for afghans, slippers and scarves. Charlotte was the daughter of a machinist and carpenter. Having no sons, he taught her carpentry and she did household repairs and made custom items for the family, from high chairs for the youngest to a darkroom for Lance in the basement. She was an inventive and creative mother, teaching her children to carve soap, use stilts, paint, color and play tetherball on a homemade pole. Charlotte and Lance have lived in the same Vine neighborhood house since 1959 and have been active with the neighborhood association. Charlotte was preceded in death by her parents and three sisters, Donna, Glenna and Barbara. She is survived by her devoted husband Lance; children, Lance J., Sharon Ferraro (Bill), Laura, Kate, Gina (Greg) Chimner and Marc (Amanda) Ferraro; seven grandchildren – Tony and Tim Short, Anya (Ferraro)Krone, Parker and Camille Chimner and Lena and Grant Ferraro and nine great-grandchildren ranging in age from 18 years to two weeks, many nieces and nephews and many, many dear friends. Visitation will be at the Redmond Funeral Home, 4100 S. Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008 (269) 343-6156 from 2-4 pm and from 6-8pm on Tuesday March 10, with a rosary said at 7:30. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11am on Wednesday March 11 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 936 Lake St.. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Ladies Library, Vine Neighborhood Association or St. Joseph Church. www.redmondfuneralhomes.net