September 21, 1954 – July 20, 2023
On Thursday July 20, 2023 in Chilliwack BC Charleen took her last breath. She was surrounded by family and friends and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Charleen was born in Vancouver General Hospital and was adopted at birth by her parents Charles Darling and Eileen Darling. She was however reunited with her birthmother Shirley Forrest in 1996.
She spent most of her life growing up in Vancouver and working at Britannia pool where she loved all her regulars and co-workers that became long-life friends. She loved to bring her grandchildren to swim lessons and every summer camp because it meant she got to spend time with them and bring smiles to their faces.
In 2010 Charleen left Vancouver and moved to Chilliwack BC to be closer to her family, where she remained until she passed.
In Charleen’s spare time she loved volunteering with minor hockey whether it would be helping with registration or concession, she just loved her “hockey boys”. When she wasn’t at the rink you could find her with her grandchildren, roller skating, crocheting, cheering on her Edmonton Oiler’s hockey team or reading a good Danielle Steel book.
Charleen also loved to play cards, and attend Church every Sunday. Charleen was one of a kind, she never failed to make you laugh, and she was the first one to give you a hug if needed. She was the one that could make all problems feel small, and she’d give you the clothes on her back. She was everything.
While we sit with heavy hearts, we know she is pain free and happy up there laughing with all the ones that have gone before. Most importantly she is up there drinking a beer and Clamato with her best friend / love Pat Kitcher.
Our biggest thank you goes out to the hospital staff on 5 North at Chilliwack Hospital for giving her a home, and what to her, felt like family in her last months. You guys gave her the most amazing care and had the biggest hearts right up till the very end.
Charleen will be memorialized by her daughter Patricia and her grandchildren Jessica, Kaylee, Dominic and Breann and her great-grandchild Deven. Her sisters Barb, Brenda and Jo, her brothers Michael, Steven and Ross.
Charleen is predeceased by her mothers Shirley Forrest and Elieen Darling and father Charles Darling.
A Celebration of Life will be Saturday, September 9th, 2023, 1:00 – 3:00 pm at City Life Church, 46641 Chilliwack Central Road, Chilliwack BC. All are welcome as we gather to share some of our favourite memories and stories, to have some laughs and some cries, but most importantly to remember the amazing person we were all blessed to have met.
We are all going to miss you. We love you, Grams.
If there are any questions to be answered please free to email (Kayleetv@live.com