Charlene Mae Aspelmeier, 94, passed away on Sunday, June 18, 2023, at her home at Legacy Assisted Living in Iowa City, Iowa. Services will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, 11 am at the Wapello Methodist Church. The family will receive visitors from 9 – 11 am prior to the funeral service. Arrangements are in the care of the Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral & Cremation Services of Wapello.
Memorials may be directed to Wapello Community Swimming Pool or Iowa City Hospice.
Charlene was born October 30, 1928, in Burlington, Iowa, the daughter of Charles and Erva (Johnson) Wasson. She graduated from Burlington High School and Burlington Junior College and later went back to school to earn her Bachelors degree in 1974 from Iowa Wesleyan College. In 1948 while Charlene was working at Schramms Department Store, her coworkers helped arrange a blind date. On November 5, 1950, that blind date resulted in her 73-year marriage to William Aspelmeier. Charlene and Bill made their home first in Kentucky and Alabama while Bill was in the military service and then on several Iowa DNR Wildlife Units before moving to Wapello in 1964. They became active within the Wapello community and it remained their home until they moved to Iowa City in 2021.
Charlene and Bill especially enjoyed the time they spent at their Mississippi River Cabin at Port Louisa and at a winter home in Crystal River, Florida. Charlene worked as an elementary teacher before staying home to raise her family. She later worked as the librarian for the Keck Memorial Library in Wapello. She was a member of the Wapello United Methodist Church, PEO, American Legion Auxiliary, Wapello Study Club, Louisa County Historical Society and TOPS. She proudly served for many years on the Wapello Community Pool Board and was involved in the planning for the new pool, knowing how important a pool was for a community.
Charlene was a familiar face and a friend to all in Wapello. She dearly loved spending time with family and was extremely proud of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Although she was not a sports fan she enjoyed traveling to her grandchildren’s games, and rarely missed an event. Charlene and Bill would make weekly, if not daily trips, to Anamosa and Iowa City to watch grandchildren’s activities.
She is survived by her husband, William Aspelmeier, daughters JoAnn (Jeff) Hinz, Anamosa, Judy (Rick) Stephenson, Iowa City, and Carla (Rick) Marolt, Iowa City; grandchildren Amanda (Mike) Reck, Andrea (Mark) Baumler, Austin Hinz, all of Anamosa, Daniel (Laura) Stephenson, Carver, MN, and Jill (Matt Porebski) Stephenson, Moab, Utah; great grandchildren Izabel, Henry and Silas Reck, Hudson and Caiden Baumler, and George and Jack Stephenson; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Mary Michaels.