Charlotte Pace
On the day that Charlotte Evelyn McClure was born in 1921, Amelia Earhart took her first flying lesson, the New York Giants beat the New York Yankees in the World Series, Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics and the population of Piscataquis County, Maine where she was born was 20,554.
Charlotte grew up in Milo Maine and is preceded in death by her father Angus McClure, by her beloved mother Marguerite Stanchfield McClure, her brother Sheldon, killed in France when he was a 22 year-old soldier in WW II and by her sister Orpha McClure MacKinnon.
Charlotte worked in a factory in Bristol, Connecticut during the war, making springs for rifles used by U.S. soldiers. It was in Bristol that she met Clark Pace, a Texas boy stationed in Connecticut in 1946. They married and moved to Ventura, California where Clark’s parents had relocated from Texas. Their first two children, daughters Cathy Pace (Lamar) and Janice (Jenise Porter) were born in Ventura.
Charlotte and Clark moved to Oakdale, California, in 1954 where Clark went into business 
for himself. It was there that their second two children Jeffrey Pace and Brian Pace, were born. Clark died in 1975 leaving Charlotte as a single mom with two boys.
In 1986, she moved to Sacramento, CA to be closer to her daughter Cathy and her new granddaughter Megan. Known as Nana, Charlotte continued to be active, known to be able to walk so fast her kids couldn’t keep up with her.
Charlotte moved to Murrell’s Inlet, SC in 1992 to join her sister Orpha and brother-in-law George MacKinnon in what was a very happy couple of decades. She loved her family and friends and was known to gift them with freshly-made bread, biscotti and maybe a tray of lasagna. Captain’s Cove mobile home park where she lived was an informal place where you could stop in any evening and have a glass of wine and a visit. Charlotte went to water aerobics, played bridge, helped cook Thanksgiving dinners at the Clubhouse and joined the Belin Memorial United Methodist Church where she found a community of caring people who were always available if she needed help. Bev Mavis and Ellen were friends who never said no when Charlotte needed help. Many of those friends joined the celebration of Charlotte’s 90th birthday in South Carolina in 2012.
As Charlotte’ eyesight diminished, and she needed more assistance she moved first to independent living in Florida, near her sister Ruth Kirby and then to Bothell, Washington. She had the good fortune to move into Woodland Terrace, an independent living complex where once again, she found a community of caring and fun-loving folks who were known to enjoy a glass of wine now and then. With her son Jeff and daughter-in-law Marty to look after her every need, she was looking forward to celebrating her hundredth birthday in 2021. She fell early in the year and later was hospitalized for pneumonia and a series of small strokes. She did not recover sufficiently to return to Woodland Terrace but continued to receive visits, cards and phone calls from friends she had made there.
Charlotte’s Murrell’s Inlet friends stayed in touch along with many of the children she babysat for over the years who now have children of their own. Charlotte was a superb cook who enjoyed good food and Jeff and Marty introduced her to wonderful restaurants in the Bothell area, along with fresh fish from the local markets and picnics in the nearby park.
Charlotte is survived by her 4 children and granddaughter, Amber Strickland, granddaughter Megan died in 2002. Charlotte is also survived by her sister Ruth Kirby, her nieces and nephews Ronda Worcester, Robin MacKinnon, Joy Artus, Scott and Dennis Kirby and their children and grandchildren.
Charlotte’s children are grateful to her many friends for their good wishes and thoughtful remembrances. No memorial service is planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital would be very much appreciated. https://www.stjude.org/give/memorials-and-dedications.html?sc_icid=wtg-mm-memorial-giving