Charlene L. Weisneck

RED LION - Charlene L. Weisneck, 77, of Red Lion, PA, left this earth on November 2, 2024. She was the loving wife of Robert F. Weisneck, a United States Marine Corps veteran, who passed away on August 29, 2024. They celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary on February 14, 2024.

At the age of 3, Charlene was entered in a most beautiful baby contest held by a local jewelry store. She won the contest. Her entry photograph hung over her mother’s organ in the living room. Upon seeing it, you knew it was her beautiful smile that won over the judges.

She grew up in Fairless Hills, PA, in a house her father built. She was a daughter of the late Charles and Etta South. She graduated from Pennsbury High School, class of 1965. Her passion to want to care for others lead her to a career in nursing. In 1968, she graduated from the Mercer Medical School of Nursing in Trenton, NJ as an RN. For 18 years she worked at Mercer Medical Center. For the last 7 years of her career, she worked within the New Jersey State Corrections System.

Her love and compassion really shined when she became a mother in 1969. Due to circumstances beyond her control, she became a single mother when her daughter was just 6 years old. This situation never stopped her from being the best mom a girl could ask for.

Her creative talents were limitless. Whether it be Snoopy decorations at Christmas for the hospital’s pediatric unit, or a paper mâché snowman, or the numerous clothes, dresses, Halloween costumes, school projects, a prom gown, or special projects for her granddaughter, Taylor or ones that decorated her home. She definitely had a way with a needle and thread, a sewing machine, and a glue gun. Her talents spread out into her yard as well. She poured over books on gardening and articles from Birds and Blooms magazines in order to create her sanctuary for butterflies and hummingbirds.

To some she may have seemed gruff and uncompromising, but she was a force to be reckoned with when she took young nurses under her wing and helped them to be the best version of themselves.

She was quite the detailed planner, but this didn’t mean she couldn’t be spontaneous. One sunny spring day in 1977, she arrived at her daughter’s school and signed her out early. They ended up having a picnic at Washington Crossing State Park.

Vacations with her were quite a big deal. Asbury Park, Massachusetts, Virginia, Gettysburg, Disney World, and a cruise to the Bahamas are all memories her daughter holds in her heart. She was willing to ride a rollercoaster even though it petrified her. After leaving Massachusetts to head home, she went the wrong way and ended up in Boston. But instead of being angry she laughed it off, booked a suite and enjoyed room service and bubble baths with her daughter.

Her music tastes included Motown, Barry Manilow and various country music artists. Her favorite curse word was the “s” word. It just happened to be the word her daughter learned at the age of 3. Whoops! She collected every Boyd’s Bears and Friends known to man. She liked how they all had names and lives just like the stuffed animals she made for her home.

She always made holidays special, especially Christmas or your birthday. She was a great cook and baker. She took on a labor of love when she made Christmas cookies, especially her mother’s German nut cookies. After her mother’s passing in 1984, she would look upward and ask that her mom be with her in spirit so the dough didn’t stick to the rolling pin. Each Christmas she tirelessly made cookie plates for each of her daughter’s teachers from elementary to high school.

Even though she was a full-time nurse and mother, she always volunteered at her daughter’s elementary school. From being treasurer of the PTO, and coordinator of the book fairs, fun fairs, field days, ballroom races, even the Campbell’s soup label contest. Man, could people eat a lot of soup!

Her daughter’s friends always knew they had a second mom who cared for them and had their backs if need be. Certain friends have fond memories of being piled into a 1979 Pontiac Firebird after a snowstorm to go to Farrells for her daughter’s birthday. She would faithfully call her daughter at 12:40 PM every year on her birthday because that was the time she was born.

She was a devoted mother to her daughter, April and a cool “Geema” to her grandsons, Noah and Justan. She was so excited to become a grandparent and insisted she be called “Nana”, but when her grandson Noah called her “Geema” it stuck. Funny how life works out like that. Justan felt his favorite memory involved sleepovers at “Geema and Poppy’s” because she made him homemade muffins. For both her grandsons, pool time was the best because “Geema” taught them to swim and “Poppy” played life guard.

We may be the only ones left to cherish her memory and we will never forget or stop loving and missing her. We are grateful to know she has been reunited with Bob/Poppy in Heaven and free of pain.

Thank you to all of those who loved her, especially her neighbors, Joy and Leon. She sure loved and appreciated you all.

Per her request, there will be no memorial service and so this obituary is our way of sharing her with all of you. Olewiler & Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., Red Lion, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Thank you to those who cared for her.

Donations may be made in her name to Pappus House at 66 Big Mt Rd, Thomasville, PA 17364 and www.pappushouse.org and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, PO Box 22324, New York, NY 10087 and www.lls.org .

Send condolences at HeffnerCare.com