Charlene M. Curleyhead, 67, Akwesasne
Mrs. Charlene M. Curleyhead, 67, of 20 James Lane, unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at Cornwall Community Hospital.
Charlene was born June 30, 1943 in Cornwall, Ontario, the daughter of Jonas White and Genevieve Leaf Tarbell. She attended schools on Cornwall Island and St. Andrew’s Convent School. She later graduated from St. Lawrence College in 1993. On April 25, 1964, she married Alfred “Freddie” Curleyhead at St. Regis Catholic Church. He predeceased her on February 10, 2001.
Charlene was a wonderful mother, always finding thing to do with her children and grandchildren. She would turn the front yard of her home into an ice rink in the winter, rent cross country skies for the whole family and go through the woods. She would build us igloos and snow caves and put lights in them and love baking cookies Kelby or tea parties with Mylee, and sewing with Wisa. She loved to shop, especially with Mary Lou and Bill; she and her late mother could never pass a sale. Charlene loved to travel or “run the roads” and see new places with her mother, sister, Mary Lou, brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Nancy, and her companion, Bill Lazore. She especially enjoyed her annual Mother’s Day trip to Lake George with Mary Lou, Mike and Nancy and taking her entire family there every summer.
She learned to swim in the St. Lawrence River and taught all her children to swim. She spent her childhood “fighting” with her brother, Mike and cousin “Pudgie”. She also spent a lot of time in her Uncle Pete’s apple orchard. She enjoyed gardening and was known to have canned the best salt pickles in town. She did crafts, having made the flower arrangements for both of her daughter’s weddings. She was also a sewer and quilter making lap quilts for the Senior Center and baby blankets for family members. In addition, Charlene enjoyed line dancing, aerobics, playing softball and volleyball, and was the biggest fan of her grandchildren’s sports.
Charlene taught the Mohawk language with her good friend, Yvonne Chubb, at Twin Rivers Elementary School for seven years. She also was a bartender at various bars around Akwesasne, worked at the Traveling College on Cornwall Island, and was a home support worker for Mohawk Council of Akwesasne for 17 years. Most recently, she was providing medical transport to various community members.
Charlene will be sadly missed by her family including her loving children, Robert, Lee Lazore and her husband, Quinn, and Diane Lazore and her husband, Phillip, all of Akwesasne; five grandchildren, Woody Laughing, Calandra “Wisa” and Detwin Curleyhead, Kelby Mitchell, and Mylee Lazore; her chosen children, Anna Thompson and her husband, Eli, and their children, Tameka, Jr., and Jenna, Shari Bigtree-Adams, and Kane Montour; her loving companion, Bill Lazore of Akwesasne; brothers and sisters, Michael and Nancy White of Akwesasne, Maggie and Lawrence Terrance of Rochester, Mary Lou Phillips of St. Regis, Emily Tarbell and Mamie David, both of Akwesasne, Paula Longboat or Six Nations, Terre and Gordie McElwain of Hilton, Faith Graffis of Akwesasne, Brad and Wayne Lazore of Akwesasne, Paul Tarbell of Fairfield, California, Harold Tarbell of Vancouver, BC, Buddy and Gilbert Tarbell of Akwesasne and Jose and Alice Tarbell of Akwesasne; her goddaughter, Ruth Seymour; and many aunts, uncle, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was predeceased by her sister, Sheila Ann White Santiago on February 13, 1990 and one brother, Clifford Tarbell, killed during Vietnam War at the age of 20; and a nephew, David Thomas White on July 23, 1999.
Friends may call beginning this evening (Thursday) 8:00 p.m. at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Phillip Lazore, 43 McDonald Road, Snye, until 10:00 a.m. Saturday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday 11:00 a.m. at St. Regis Catholic Church with Rev. George H. Belgarde, SJ, officiating. Following cremation, burial will be in Kateri Cemetery.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Akwesasne Diabetic Wellness Center.
Arrangements are with the Donaldson Funeral Home, Massena. Condolences may be made online atwww.donaldsonfh.com.