Charlotte Viola Lynch of Ypsilanti, Michigan

Born April 12, 1924, to Joseph M. Langton and Eleanor M. Littlefield of Kittery, Maine.

Raised and completed high school in Kittery with her three brothers, Johnny, Joseph Jr., and Kenny, and much later a sister, Lillian—all of whom have passed away.

After high school, Charlotte was able to secure work at the Portsmouth Naval Yards in New Hampshire, which was just down the road from Kittery. Charlotte was just 18 years old and worked as a typist.

It was at the Naval Yards that Charlotte met her future husband, James V. Lynch. They dated and were married at St. Joseph Church in Bay City, Michigan, in August 1943. Charlotte was 19 years old.

James Lynch was inducted, trained, and stationed at Great Lakes, Illinois, with temporary duty at Portsmouth Naval Base. He returned to Great Lakes, and Charlotte traveled to Bay City, Michigan, to marry Jim in his hometown. Charlotte lived with Jim's family after marriage and would see him when he was on leave. Jim was deployed to the South Pacific some time later. Charlotte returned to Kittery and her family.

At war's end, Jim was discharged from the Navy at Boston, Massachusetts, as a Chief Pharmacist Mate. He gathered up his young wife, Charlotte, at Kittery, Maine, and headed back to Bay City, Michigan. Charlotte helped Jim apply to pharmacist schools on the G.I. Bill, and he was accepted at Ferris Institute at Big Rapids, Michigan, to start classes September 2, 1946. Charlotte stayed in Bay City as she was due soon to have their first child. Robert Lynch was born September 9, 1946, seven days after his father started classes 85 miles away at Big Rapids.

For class years 1947–1949, the couple were able to secure government housing at Big Rapids. Charlotte described this period as "roughing it in the barracks"—start the fire in the morning and scrape the ice in the pot after.

After completing school and licensing, Jim had a job lined up in Monroe, Michigan. They resided in Monroe until 1967, having two more children, Cynthia and Janis.

Property was purchased in Belleville, Michigan, in 1966. Charlotte designed and drew up her own plans, hired a builder, and got her house built—some parts not exactly as she intended, describing the builder in unflattering terms. The Lynch family moved into the new home in September 1967. Son Robert was soon to move into the Navy and marriage.

Daughters Cynthia and Janis were still in school. Jim was working full time at the drugstore. Charlotte stayed busy with the house and working at times as secretary for an electrical supply company, then the University of Michigan.

In 1979, an event happened that changed Charlotte's life for the next 30+ years. Charlotte's younger daughter Janis bought a horse—in secret—with her father's help. They kept it at a riding stable nearby. It soon became apparent that the horse was pregnant. Charlotte found out and took over. The colt was born, but the mother died. Charlotte became "Mommy" to the baby horse. She raised that horse and became "horse crazy."

She purchased a home with acreage, built a horse stall, installed lots of fence for barnyard and pastures. She got a horse trailer and an SUV to pull it, and best of all—she enjoyed that horse for the rest of its life. Trail rides, horse shows, trips south to Alabama, and lots of friends.

The horse was a "bloodline" racking horse—no Racking Horse Association clubs in Michigan, so Charlotte started one and operated it for several years. Some of the past members of that club are here today—true friends! Best friends!

Husband Jim passed away in 2001. Charlotte, daughter Janis, and a horse named Diamond continued on. Then Janis passed away in April 2010. Diamond died in September 2010.

Then Charlotte was alone with her little dog.

In 2011, Charlotte suffered a stroke, spent a month in the hospital, then three more months in rehab. When she came home at Christmas, we stopped at her house. After 15 minutes wheeling around in her wheelchair, she came to realize she could not live there.

On January 2, 2012, she was discharged from rehab and came to live with her daughter Cindy and son-in-law Bud.

In November 2024, Cindy died from multiple sclerosis after fighting it for many years.

Cindy's actual time of death was 9:05 p.m.

Charlotte's actual time of death was 9:10 p.m.