Charlene Spadafore-Vassar

Oct 31, 1946 -

Aug 8, 2021

Charlene Spadafore-Vassar passed away, at the age of 74, on Aug. 8, 2021, at Providence Horizon House in Anchorage, Alaska, due to her battle with cancer.

Charlene was born in East Lansing, Mich., on Oct. 31, 1946, to parents Charles and Virginia Spadafore. She graduated from college with an associate degree in marketing. She was employed with Mystrom Advertising for 7 years, Alaska Sales and Service & Alaska Travel Industry for 6 years, Anchorage Project Access for 12 years, and Providence NICU Cuddler for an astounding 26 years. She obtained many awards in advertising.

Charlene immersed herself in different hobbies: bookclub, putting in time in the gym at the cancer center, an Avery prolific reader, and she loved the Lifetime, Hallmark, Food Network and Design channels.

She was a member of Holy Family Cathedral, Providence Cuddlers, and St. Jude's Cancer and SIDS research.

We are blessed with the love, service and friendship so freely given. Your selfless sacrifices even touched those too young to know or remember that it was you, mom and friend, who held them during their fight for survival. May we all now pay forward the love you so freely shared.

A service in Charlene's memory will be held on Aug. 21, 2021, at Holy Family Cathedral at 11 a.m., and will be officiated by Father Steve MacKawa. Another service will be held in Lansing at a later time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to St. Jude Cancer Research and First Cable SIDS Research, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. In remembrance of Charles R. Vassar and Meranda Johnson, both passed away due to SIDS.

Charlene is survived by her brothers, Andy Spadafore of Michigan and Peter Spadafore of Florida; sister, Heather Mize of California; son, Rick (Teresa) Vassar of Utah; daughters, Jada (Charles) Alexander of Alaska, Tonya (Doug) Anderson of Idaho, Monique (Dennis) Weese of California and Maria Lee (Terry Perry) of Alabama; grandchildren, Victoria Vassar of Utah, Chris Quick, Brad Quick and Hope Quick, all of Utah, Charmaine Jones of Alaska; great-granddaughter, Dianne Jones of Alaska; and all of her other grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by Gucci, Charles and Virginia Spadafore, Rose Spadafore, Teresa Seely, Mary Westfall, Mike Spadafore, Charles Vassar, Meranda Johnson and Merrilee Vassar.