Charlotte Swett Walter

On a recent birthday celebration, Charlotte was asked for words of wisdom that she had gained from her life experience. Her response: "Always vote!" She was often found summing everything up with "we are so lucky". Here is her official obituary: Charlotte Dean Cecil Swett Walter died September 15, 2020, in Eugene, Oregon. She was born December 9, 1921, when the national women's right to vote was new and four years before the zipper was invented. She was the only child of Neil M. Cecil and Irene N. (Tyler) Cecil, delivered in Auburn, Nebraska, by her doctor grandfather. Her youngest years were spent in Oakland, California, and on the construction site of the Old Don Pedro Dam which her engineer father helped build. Most of her growing years were in Modesto, California, where she attended Modesto High School and Modesto Junior College. Then she transferred to complete her bachelor's degree at Stanford University. Her majors in journalism and psychology were put to good use throughout her life. After college Char began a career in advertising based first in San Francisco and then in New York City. She changed direction when she met and married Roger D. Swett, whom she met while his World War II Navy ship was dry docked in San Francisco. They settled in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, after Roger became an attorney. She lived for 65 years in the house they purchased together. It was home to their family of five children. When Roger died young, Charlotte faced the challenge of raising those five children on her own. In addition to parenting, during those years Charlotte obtained an MBA from the University of Chicago. After all the children had grown, a new chapter opened when she married Fredrick R. Walter, a fellow widow. As young retirees, Fred and Char formed a blended family and enjoyed 35 years of life together. After losing Fred, Char moved to Eugene, Oregon to be near two of her children. Throughout her life, Char valued civic involvement and strove for justice. She pursued these goals through involvement in her church and numerous community organizations, including Glen Ellyn Walk-In Ministries, Glen Ellyn Food Pantry, League of Women Voters, a local book club, Lydia Circle at Glen Ellyn First United Methodist Church, and numerous others. Wherever Char participated, she focused on improving visual presentation and press presence for the activity. When she arrived in Oregon one of her first activities was to encourage members of her senior community to register as voters. She will be sorely missed by her children and their spouses: Laurel Swett, Daniel Swett, Katherine Swett and Eugene Rogers, Norman Swett and Natalie Ramier, and Valerie Swett Nigh and Frank Nigh. Also surviving are her eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and the descendants of Fred Walter. Burial arrangements are private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Charlotte's memory to Asbury United Methodist Church, 1090 Berntzen Road, Eugene, OR 97402; or Glen Ellyn Food Pantry, 493 Forest Avenue, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.