Charlotte Schwid

May 22, 1919 -

Aug 16, 2020

Charlotte passed peacefully as she slept on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, in Eagle River, Alaska. She was 101 years old.

Charlotte was born on May 22, 1919, in Low Moor, Va., to parents Van Buren Coleman and Wille Belle Angle. She graduated from Andrew Lewis High School in 1938. She went on to study nursing at Riverside Hospital in Newport News, Va., graduating in February 1942, shortly after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. She joined the Army in 1944, serving as a nurse in England during World War II. She was stationed at Tidworth Military Hospital where she watched the planes fly overhead on D-Day as they headed for Normandy.

After the war, her career took her to Panama and then in 1947 to Milwaukee, Wis., where she would spend over 60 years.

Charlotte lived and worked at the Wood Veterans Center upon arrival to Milwaukee. There she met and married Warren Schwid in 1948. While Warren attended college in Madison, Charlotte worked as a corporate nurse for Oscar Myer Meats. But her favorite job came in 1953, when she was hired by the Milwaukee Braves to be their stadium nurse in the then newly built Milwaukee County Stadium. Charlotte worked there for 4 years, then eased into motherhood and part-time nursing work. She remained a lifelong baseball fan.

After suffering a serious stroke in 2008, her daughter Sharon brought her to Alaska. Although the stroke left her wheelchair bound, she never lost her passion to attend every fair, festival or parade. She was regularly seen at the Alaska State Fair, Bear Paw Festival and the Anchorage Fourth of July parade.

One of Charlotte's special memories was to participate in a trip to Washington, D.C., with The Last Frontier Honor Flight on Mission #2 in May 2014 along with her daughter as Guardian. After the experience, Charlotte never missed an Honor Flight homecoming, attending 11 events, reliving the joy and honor each time.

Special thanks also goes to Quilts of Valor who presented her quilt on her 99th birthday; to VFW 9785 of Eagle River for providing the venue to throw Charlotte's 100th birthday party fitting for a hero; and to the many others who helped to celebrate and honor her achievements while she was alive.

She was preceded in death by her former husband, Warren Schwid; sister, Nellie; brothers, Royal and Woodrow; by half brothers and sisters, Cecil, Herbert Vernon, Donnie, Lonnie and Ruth; niece, Marion Staton. She is survived by daughter, Sharon Schwid White; grandson, Layton White; special nieces, Peggy Bland and Carol Baker; and many other nieces and nephews.

Following cremation, her remains will remain with her daughter until being returned to Wood National Cemetery for final interment.

In lieu of flowers, donations me be sent to The Last Frontier Honor Flight, P.O. Box 875021, Wasilla, AK 99564.