Loving, gracious, warmhearted, wife, mother of four, Charlotte Wilhelm passed away 27 September 2022 at her home in Issaquah, WA from complications following multiple strokes.

Charlotte was born in Hammond, IN in 1929. The daughter of Dallas and Clara Thomas Cutshall, she lived in Knox, IN until she was 15. Her family moved to Corvallis, OR where she completed high school and graduated Oregon State College (now Oregon State University) with a degree in Physical Education and Recreation.

In Corvallis, Charlotte learned to love the outdoors, spending much time camping and hiking locally and at the Oregon Pacific coast. In high school and college Charlotte developed her life’s passion – music – earning numerous awards singing in choirs at Oregon State and her church. Charlotte found a home as a young adult at church in Corvallis. Church teachings inspired her to live graciously throughout her life. Church introduced Charlotte to friendships that lasted her lifetime.

After college, Charlotte moved to Flint, MI to work for the YWCA. Charlotte met and married James K. Wilhelm Jr. in Flint, MI. They were married in 1954. Charlotte had her first child, Ken, in Michigan. Charlotte loved being a mother. After the family moved to AZ, three more children arrived in quick succession (Paul, Glen, and Nancy). The family again moved, this time to Seattle, WA for a short stay before settling on Mercer Island, WA where her four children were raised, all graduating from Mercer Island High School. At the end of the 1960s, the family temporarily relocated to Alamogordo, N.M., where Charlotte developed a strong interest in Native American culture and history associated with the American Southwest.

After moving to Mercer Island, Charlotte and Jim joined and became lifelong members of the Bellevue Christian Church. With the loving, caring support of church family, Charlotte and Jim raised their children to love God.

Following her passion for fitness, she taught aerobics at the Mercerdale Pool and then the Mercerdale Community Center over a period of 10-15 years. Continuing her passion, Charlotte re-entered the workforce, joining the Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Department when her children were teens.

Charlotte retired after 10 years at the department. All her children learned to love physical fitness activities following her example.

In her retirement, Charlotte volunteered at the Mercer Island Thrift Shop, helping raise funds for the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services. She proudly received a “twenty year” pin for her charitable work at the Thrift Shop.

Throughout life, Charlotte reveled in learning traditional skills. She knitted, sewed, made her own soap, spun wool and other animal furs, quilted, crafted artistic cards, wove rugs, etc. In her retirement, she would apply these skills toward helping others, crafting various items such as knit hats for those in need.

Charlotte and James traveled in retirement, spending many vacations at time-shares in Hawaii and elsewhere. Their travel covered many localities in Europe, the Mediterranean, Great Britain, the Pacific, East Asia and the Americas. Often their travel was to educational destinations, enriching their understanding of the world.

Charlotte is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Charlotte was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, and her husband.

Services will be held at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, Bellevue, WA at 1 p.m. Nov. 12, 2022.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, Northwest Harvest, or your favorite charity.