Charlene passed away early this morning.  She was 51 years old, much too young to have to endure so much.  Char was a loving, giving, selfless friend to many.  She worked as a nurse for 29 years, giving care to preemie babies in the NICU. She loved to travel, and for 10 of those years she worked as a travelling nurse, through which she developed lifelong friendships across the country.  Between assignments, she traveled overseas to Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and South Africa.  She cared deeply for our mother and called her weekly.  Charlene treasured memories from our youth and collected pictures from our mom's and dad's childhoods too.  She Facetimed and played "Words with Friends" with many on-line and stayed connected over state lines.  She has lived in Portland since 2012 making more memories and adding more friends.  Mom, Darla, and I would like to extend our gratitude to Karin and her husband who helped by doing chores and watching Char's house when she wasn't able; to Vicki, her lifelong friend came out from North Carolina to welcome Char to hospice; and to Maria, who spent many hours over the last 6 months driving Charlene to appointments, buying groceries for her, and offering her house so she could watch over her.  Without this large group of loving friends, we would have been overwhelmed.  Your compassion and kindness are greatly appreciated. Thank you!