Charlotte (Foster) Baugh
April 23, 1924 ~ January 13, 2024 (age 99)
Charlotte peacefully went to be with our Lord and Savior on the morning of January 13. She was born in Dallas, TX and raised in Tchula, MS. Despite growing up during the Great Depression, she always had fond memories of the Mississippi Delta, calling it God’s country.
Charlotte’s curiosity and sense of adventure led her to a lifelong love of reading books and travel. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at the end of WWII, her desire to travel took her to Dallas, TX. She worked for American Airlines, which gave her a free pass to travel the US. While in Dallas, she met and married a handsome WWII veteran, Glen Edward Baugh, and had two daughters. Later, she settled in Athens, AL raising her girls as a single mother. She worked for the Hawk Missile Project at Redstone Arsenal for 25 years.
She could not wait for retirement, which allowed her to travel the world and assume her night owl tendencies (frequently staying up all night to read a good book) that lasted until after she turned 99. Although a solo traveler, she found a company offering group tours that allowed her to travel extensively, even into her 80s. Some of her favorite trips included riding a gondola in the Swiss Alps, climbing the stairs of an Egyptian pyramid, seeing the Oberammergau Passion play in Germany, and flying in a glass bottom helicopter in Hawaii.
At home in Huntsville, AL, she enjoyed holding season tickets to the Von Braun Civic Center and gardening. She completed the Master Gardner’s course at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens and gardening became a newfound passion lasting into her 90s. An avid reader since childhood, her books were her prized possessions and she always had interesting stories and information to share.
The greatest joys of her life, though, were her grandchildren and great grandchildren who affectionately knew her as Gran, Grandmother, and Great Charlotte. She was blessed to live long enough to see her three grandchildren marry and her two great granddaughters born all since she turned 94.
Charlotte led by example in her strength of character, determination, love, and steadfast faith.
Charlotte was preceded in death by her former husband, Glen, her granddaughter, Stephanie Cooper, and her sister, Chloe Ganier. She is survived by her daughters, Sharon (Greg) Hyde of Birmingham and Monica Hood of Huntsville, her grandchildren Erin (Tyler) Eason of Huntsville, Foster (Lauren) Hyde of Birmingham, Harrison (April) Hyde of New York City, and great granddaughters Charlotte and Evelyn Hyde.
In part to respect Charlotte’s aversion to cold weather, a family service to honor her life will be held this spring. Memorials may be made to a charity of your choice.
