Charlene Faye Thew, 79

Charlene Faye Thew passed away Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022, in Wenatchee, Washington.

Charlene was born to Jess and Ruth Diver on Dec. 30, 1942, in Whitefish. She graduated from Whitefish High School in 1960 and matriculated at Montana State University the following fall. She quickly discovered the nursing program was not for her so she made her way to Seattle, checked into the Y and got herself a job as a switchboard operator for Pacific Bell. Marriage took her to the Methow Valley in Washington in 1965. When things didn't go as planned, she found herself a new path.

In 1978, Charlene started working as a para-educator at Allen Elementary School. She continued to pursue her higher education at every opportunity and earned her teaching certification in 1989. For the next 20 years, she taught primarily fourth grade for the Methow Valley School District. Charlene was a dedicated and passionate teacher who challenged and nurtured her students. She believed there was no such thing as finished and did her best to instill that love of continued learning in everyone who entered her classroom. .

Charlene was a witty and wonderful woman — a grammarian, dogrel poetress, stubborn task mistress, devoted friend and cutthroat rummy player. She will be missed. Maybe now — when she talks to the trees — they'll listen!

Charlene is survived by her son, Timothy, his wife, Lisa, and their son, Cole; and her daughter, Stacey, and her husband, John Moss.

There will be an informal gathering to celebrate her life and toast her memory in the near future.

Interment will be at Glacier Memorial Gardens in Kalispell.