Charlotte Glidden, born Oct. 11, 1919, in Robinson, Ill., passed away peacefully in Houston, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012.

Charlotte — Billie Charlotte or Char to her friends and Nana to her devoted family — lived a full and wonderful life. She will be deeply missed by her two sons and their wives, Chris and Mary and Craig and Penny; her beloved grandchildren, Kristen, Sam and Emily; and the children and grandchildren of her adored sisters Mildred and Mabel, who helped raise her and preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Riley Ann Glidden.

She was the daughter of Jack Gilliam and Lagora Barkell and the stepdaughter of Clarence Barkell. Charlotte was unique, possessing an unlikely combination of intelligence, spirituality, empathy and grit that will resonate and inspire her family for generations. She was a single mom who nurtured Chris and Craig to become successful professionals in their own right. She was a devoted grandmother who moved to Houston to be with her grandchildren and gratefully saw them all graduate from high school, attend and graduate college and begin their lives as young adults. She enjoyed a successful career in retail and real estate sales. She had an infectious sense of style and was a career woman before it was fashionable, working until age 76.

While living in Venice, she volunteered at the local hospital and was active in the Unity Church of Venice. In Texas, she was a reading mentor to elementary school children. In her final two years she was blessed to live with and be cared for by Pat Yerke, the mother of Craig’s wife, Penny.

Billie Charlotte Glidden was one of a kind, and her indomitable spirit will live on in the lives of her beloved family and friends.

Services: The family will hold a private celebration of Charlotte’s life in Venice.

Contributions: In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Unity Church of Venice at www.veniceunity.com/contributions or 125 North Jackson Road, Venice FL 34292.