Charlotte Love Stephenson

Charlotte Love Stephenson, 86, of Ridgeside Terrace, Morganton, NC died Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at Grace Ridge Health Care Center. She was born in Fulton County, GA and was the daughter of the late Robert and Marian Peavy Love. Charlotte was raised in Syracuse, NY where she graduated from Eastwood High School. She attended Syracuse University College of Music studying organ and piano performance. In 1944 Charlotte moved to Boston where she married her husband, Sheldon Stephenson, who was attending Boston University School of Theology. Upon his graduation the Stephensons moved to central New York and served several United Methodist congregationsincluding churches in Penn Yan and Ithaca, NY. In 1994, Charlotte and her husband retired to Morganton where she directed the choir at Grace Ridge, was involved as a volunteer with the Grace Hospital Guild, and was active in the First United Methodist Church. She was a member of P. E. O. and several book clubs.

Surviving are her husband, Sheldon B. Stephenson; her children and their spouses, Thomas and Wendy Stephenson of Brooklyn, NY, Mark and Kris Stephenson of Napa, CA, and Marcia Stephenson and Tom Broden of West Lafayette, IN; a brother, Robert L. Love, of Canandaigua, NY; and three grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 24, 2007, at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Sydnor Thompson, III officiating. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Good Samaritan Clinic or to the African Methodist University, both c/o First United Methodist Church, ATTN: Kay Childres, 201 N. King St., Morganton, NC 28655. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family.