Obituary of Charlotte Marion Van Allen

Charlotte Marion Van Allen (née Gregory) of Lake Luzerne, NY passed away at the age of 102 on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, in Rutland, VT surrounded by her family. Charlotte was born on February 17, 1922, in East Greenbush, NY, to Frank and Cora (Kingman) Gregory and graduated from Castleton High School, where she was an active member of the girls' basketball team. While growing up she helped her parents run Gregory's Florist in East Greenbush. Charlotte was the beloved wife of the late Charles W. Van Allen for 63 years. After their marriage they settled in the Castleton, NY area where they raised their family. Charlotte and Charlie also loved to spend time at their house on the Hudson River in Corinth, NY where they loved to entertain – there was always plenty of food, love and laughter. After they retired, they took to the open road with their RV, visiting all the lower 48 states and Alaska (twice). They also traveled to Hawaii. For many years they enjoyed their winters in their Frostproof, FL home. Charlotte's greatest joy was her family, and she cherished her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was their # 1 Fan and loved to cheer them on while they were playing sports. She was the Skip-Bo Champion in the family and many happy hours were spent playing cards. Charlotte's community spirit was evident in her longstanding membership with the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter #826, where she reached the rank of Matron. She was also a charter member of the South Schodack Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. Charlotte had a passion for knitting and crocheting and was working on a project in the days before she passed. She crafted hundreds of items through the years for loved ones, as gifts and donations to those in need. Her hats and mittens were sought after by her grands. One of her projects was making tiny baby hats for premature babies in the neonatal unit at a local hospital. Charlotte enjoyed cooking and baking. Many wonderful meals were shared with family and friends and there were always delicious homemade cookies on the counter. She found joy in gardening, caring for her flowers, swimming and was an avid reader. She was a devoted fan of UCONN Girl's Basketball. She leaves behind a loving family: her son, Wayne C. Van Allen and his wife Janet of Kinderhook, NY; her daughter, Susan L. Wilk and her husband Frank of Rutland, VT; her grandchildren, Kelly (Sy) Van Allen-Braswell, Jillian (Brent) Cady, Kassandra Wilk and her fiancé Corey Ouellette, Cameron Wilk and his partner Courtney Kondi, and Christopher Wilk and his partner Emily Hathaway; her great-grandchildren, Colin Braswell and Maeve Braswell, and Harper and Payton Cady; cousin Phyllis Paulsen; godson Michael Cristiano; and several Van Allen nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by their son, Bruce M. Van Allen and her parents. Charlotte's life was a testament to her wonderful personality and her enduring influence on everyone she met. She was an amazing woman, mother, wife, grandmother and friend. Her beautiful smile and contagious laugh will be missed by all who knew her. The family would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to the staff of Bayada Vermont Rutland Hospice for the wonderful support they provided to Charlotte during her time in their care. A celebration of Charlotte's life will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at Raymond E. Bond Funeral Home, located at 1015 Kinderhook St. Rt. 9, Valatie, NY 12184. Visitation will occur from 10 AM to 12 PM, immediately followed by a funeral service at 12:00. Charlotte will be laid to rest at East Greenbush Reformed Church Cemetery in East Greenbush, NY. Memorial donations may be made to a charity of one's choice.