Charlotte C. Wence

Charlotte “Jo” (Clark) Wence passed away July 14, 2022, at the age of 82. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at First Presbyterian Church in Kearney with Pastor Clint Cozier officiating. Interment will be held 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at Elwood Cemetery in Elwood, NE. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney and one hour prior to the service at the church. Charlotte was born in 1939, in Elwood, Nebraska, the fourth of seven children, to Harold and Geraldine (Griffin) Clark. She graduated from Nathaniel Norbonne High School in California, in 1957. She completed nursing school and became a Licensed Vocational Nurse in 1975. As she liked to say, she worked many years “saving lives and stamping out disease with good nursing.” She married George Wence in 1981 at Lookout Mountain in Colorado. Charlotte and George are members of the First Presbyterian Church in Kearney. Charlotte was a strong and loving wife, mother, sister, and grandmother. She was highly intelligent, with a quick wit, and loved to share a good story or joke. She enjoyed music, reading, gardening, quilting, and knitting. She especially loved spending time with family and going to family gatherings – the bigger, the better. She had a soft spot in her heart for rescue dogs and adopted several over the years. Charlotte was a hardworking, charming, and spunky lady who conquered many challenges and lived life with gusto. She was always the life of the party and her beautiful smile lit up the room. Charlotte was one-of-a-kind and had a life well lived; she left us with many fond memories and will be deeply missed by all. She was preceded in death by her parents; mother-in-law Jewel Mannen; stepfather Ray Phillips; sisters, Bette Carlson, Connie Reeves and Twilia Phillips; brother, Charles Clark; brothers-in-law, Fred Carlson, Dan Henry, Allan Phillips and Jack Reeves; stepson Gary Wence; grandson Phillip Astillero; great grandson Carson Miller; and great granddaughter Adalyn Erpelding. Survivors include her devoted husband, George Wence; daughter and son-in-law, Pamela Newcomb and Chris Coulter, son and daughter-in-law, Allan and Sherrie Newcomb, daughter Denise Newcomb, daughter Stephanie Erpelding and fiancé Jason Anderson, stepdaughter and husband Linda and Sal Cipolla, stepdaughter and husband Carolyn and Tom Saims, step daughter-in-law Erin Wence; sisters, Norma Henry, Linda (James) Carlson; sister-in-law Sandy Clark; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews; as well as many other extended family members and friends. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.

Charlotte C. Wence

December 13, 1939 - July 14, 2022