Charlene Mae Stadtmiller of Orcutt, passed away on Thursday, December 13, 2018, at the age of 82. She was a loving wife, mother, grand-mother and great-grandmother. Charlene was born on August 3, 1936 in El Segundo to Arthur N. Ewing and Jeanne E. Ewing and raised in Lucerne Valley.
She was the middle child of three, her brothers being Robert (previously passed) and Jack Ewing. Charlene is survived by her daughter, Stephanie, whom she had with her first husband. She then met and married… Read More » the love of her life Glenn Stadtmiller in 1966.
They lived in Inglewood until moving to Torrance in 1970. Charlene worked many years as a waitress in the restaurant business while living in Inglewood until she moved to Torrance in 1970 where she worked for Chevron in the cafeteria for approximately 20 years when she retired. She and her husband enjoyed many years of camping with their family, playing pinochle with friends and travelling together.
After losing her husband in 2003, she moved to Orcutt, CA to join her daughter’s family where she bought a beautiful home. She lived there for the remainder of her wonderful life as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Charlene enjoyed her retirement years in Orcutt doing many things.
Her biggest passion in life was spending time with her family and being Gam-Gam to her grandchildren and GiGi to her great grandchildren. Her favorite pastimes were cooking and gardening and she was the best at both of them. Many wonderful meals were served at her beautiful home where she enjoyed entertaining her family and friends.
Nobody ever left hungry as she would always cook for an army. Charlene’s food was nothing but the best home cookin’. She had the greenest thumb around and being out working in her yard was her ‘happy place’.
She would spend hours on end and could grow anything in her garden from her favorite hydrangeas, to her roses, succulents and cacti, she loved it all. She was a member of Orcutt-Oasis Garden club and the Orchid Oasis Society where she attended monthly meetings. She was also known for her decorating her home for EVERY holiday, inside and out especially at Christmas.
It was her Christmas Castle and folks would enjoy every bit of it. She loved spending many an afternoon with her friends and her dog Toby on her beautiful backyard patio, enjoying the view and listening to her doves that she’d had for many years. In her spare time when she wasn’t cooking and/or gardening, she enjoyed playing bunco, and delivering weekly Meals on Wheels.
She also loved being a part of and supporting the local veterans. To many she was “Uncle Sam’ as she would sport the entire costume for many years as Uncle Sam at 4th of July parties/parades, and even participated in the Welcome Home Military Hero’s float in Nipomo for 4th of July. Charlene, aka ‘Gam Gam’ to her grandchildren and ‘GiGi’ to her great grandchildren is survived by her brother Jack Ewing, daughter, Stephanie Stadtmiller, three grandsons Dustin (wife Carissa Harms and great grandchildren Hayden and Skylar Harms), Casey (wife Devan Harms and great granddaughter Audree Harms) and Taylor Harms.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 12th, 2019 at Dudley Hoffman at 1:00 p.m. with a Celebration of Life reception at Charlene’s home immediately following the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to ‘Meals on Wheels’ in Santa Maria, or the ‘Oasis Senior Center in Orcutt’.
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