Charlene Kay Crable, of Bradenton, Florida, a giving wife, doting mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, an artisan, real estate agent and so much more, died peacefully on July 13, 2024, after a remarkable life.
Less than two weeks before her death, 30 relatives and friends gathered around her for a 90th birthday celebration.
She is survived by her four children, Holly Graver, Wesley Trent Crable, husband of Laura Crable, Brett Crable, husband of Jan Crable, and Ad Allen Crable III, husband of Jennifer Kopf; 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; a brother, Jon Craig Pothuisje, husband of Barb Pothuisje, and a sister, Sharon Fawcett, wife of Doug Fawcett. A younger brother, Kent Pothuisje, preceded her in death. Her husband, Ad A. Crable Jr., died in 2011.
The oldest of four children, she was born on June 11, 1934, in Rensselaer, Indiana, to Helen Schlotman and Arthur Robinson Pothuisje. In high school, in Paris, Illinois, she met her future husband for 58 years when he hid in the back seat of a yellow Oldsmobile driven by her date.
In an early display of the boundless energy that amazed all, Charlene raised four children while in her 20's and navigating living in three foreign countries.
Charlene went through life with eyes wide open, curious about history, a voracious reader and with a natural knack for decorating to the last detail that made all her homes welcoming and interesting places to visit. She was fun loving and her sparkle and energy inspired those in her orbit.
"She is an aesthete and a collector who taught me the value of the beautiful," said a relative. "She taught me what real curiosity about the world looks like."
There were no pregnant pauses if you were with Charlene. She loved conversation and would strike up one with total strangers. "She could start a conversation with a squirrel that would last for hours," observed an admiring friend. The repartee was driven by a genuine interest in the other person, and she listened without judgement. Once engaged, the person often ended up relating things you normally wouldn't tell a stranger. "She had an amazing ability to prompt you to speak and then she really listened," recalled a friend.
Like her mother, she liked jewelry. Her wrists jangled with gold and silver. She always was fashionably dressed in red lipstick and manicured long nails. Combined with her talent for well-spoken discourse, many considered her an elegant woman. Above all, it was her unconditional love for and interest in her family of all generations that fueled her zest for life. She was doting, endlessly encouraging and blind to a fault. To be with her was to be made to feel special. Summed up a friend, "She was just a dear kind soul whose kindness reached to infinity and beyond."
A Graveside Service for family members will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Tidewell Hospice (https://tidewellhospice.org), 504 34th Ave. W, Bradenton, FL, 34205. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West, Bradenton, FL 34209, is in charge of arrangements.
