PORTLAND, formerly of ROCKLAND — Charlotte Louise LaCrosse, 97 years young, passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, from complications after contracting COVID-19.

Born August 12, 1923, in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, she was the only child of Albert Michael Welch and Dorothy Irene Crossman.

Growing up in Calais, she later moved to Thomaston and graduated from Thomaston High School. In 1942 she married Henry Melquist, who was killed in action in World War II.

On February 2, 1951, she married John LaCrosse and together they raised their 5 children in Rockland until his passing in 2005.

In 2010, Charlotte sold the family home and moved to Portland to live with her daughter and resided there until her passing.

Charlotte was a communicant of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Rockland where she also was a member of the Daughter’s of St. Bernard’s and an active participant in their annual Christmas Bazaar. She would make baked goods and work the table, sometimes with a granddaughter in tow.

When her youngest children started school, Charlotte went to work as an aide at North School, and later as a library aide at Rockland District Junior High School, where she had to kick her daughter out of the library for talking too much.

Family was everything to Charlotte, known as Grammy to her grandchildren, and later as GG to her great grandchildren.

Charlotte was a sweet, kind, devoted, and loving mother and grandmother. Her house at 77 Rankin Street was like a second home to many. She loved to bake and always had a cookie jar filled with freshly-baked cookies or homemade chocolate brownies on the counter, and cold TAB always in the fridge.

Her great grandson will always remember that GG created his favorite childhood treat, sherbet floats with ginger ale.

She also made the “best spaghetti sauce on the planet” with tomatoes she and John canned straight from their vegetable garden. Her door was always open, all were welcomed, and she especially loved her afternoon tea with dear friends.

Two of her great grandsons, who lived around the corner from GG while growing up, remember fondly of going to her house after school and what great company she always was. But, if Tiger Woods happened to be playing on TV, then that is what they would do. She was the biggest fan of Tiger!

Her granddaughter recalls how Grammy never missed a school performance, dance recital, or sports event, and how it meant everything to have her there.

Charlotte was a fabulous knitter and an avid reader. She was always passing along her latest read to someone, and recently sent a box of books to her son in Florida.

She was also a life-long fan of General Hospital and Days of Our Lives and no one dared call her between 1 and 2 p.m. on weekdays for fear of interrupting “her show.” Despite all the children in her life, Charlotte had a life-long aversion to board games. However, over the past summer she began playing SORRY, and looked forward to her afternoon game with her daughter. She also looked forward to her daily phone call from her son.

Charlotte loved the beach, where she, her children, and later her grandchildren, spent most everyday in the summers. She was always in her glory when she was pushing a stroller “down street” when the kids (3 generations of them!) were little.

Family gatherings were always a joy for Charlotte, and there were many- birthday parties, Mother’s Day celebrations, weddings, garage sales, Thanksgivings, and Christmases. Charlotte loved Christmas, and her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren recall helping her get out all of her decorations and how much fun they were to play with. Everyone had their favorites which will now be passed on to family members so the traditions can continue. A 50-plus year-old elf named Pixie will be leaving shortly for his new home in Germany. She so looked forward each year to the annual Christmas Eve day visits to family in Tenants Harbor, South Thomaston, and especially the annual Christmas Eve party at her daughter and son in-law’s house in Owls Head. For many years, she and John wintered in Boca Grande, Florida and worked at the Gasparilla Inn there. But she was always homesick for her family.

Her granddaughter recalls that the day Grammy and Gramp returned from Florida each year was like a holiday to see what beach finds Grammy had gathered and brought home. She and John loved to take bus trips with their good friends, the Molloys. She also took many bus trips over the years with her daughters to Boston, New York, Newport, Rhode Island, and traveled as well to Jamaica and Russia.

Charlotte had a great passion for the underdog and the less fortunate, supporting many organizations (Save the Whales was a favorite) either with a few dollars or by sending handwritten notes to the many requests for
donations she received in the mail.

Her children and grandchildren recall what a proud Democrat she was and so very passionate about civil rights. She was ecstatic that she was able to vote for Joe Biden in November and even more ecstatic when she found
out that he won!

Predeceased by her parents; her husbands Henry and John; she will be greatly missed by her two sons, John Melquist, Sr. and his wife Carol of South Thomaston and Daniel LaCrosse of New Port Richey, Florida; her three daughters, Kathryn Dow and her husband Jim of Owls Head, Teresa Holden and her husband Don of Falmouth, and Mary Ann Delsandro of Portland; her grandchildren, Amy Young and her husband Mike, Amanda Leque and her husband Will, John Melquist, Jr., Becky Peasley and her husband Todd, Eric Melquist; her great grandchildren, Alex Young-Jopke, Ben Young, Mattie Hooper, Lainie Hooper, Kaden Melquist, Kale Melquist, Abram Marr, and Eve Leque.

We are grateful and blessed to have the memories and love that she left all of us.

Many thanks to Nichole and Courtney at Spectrum Staffing and Home Care for the care and support given to Charlotte and the family. A special thank you to Isobel for her care of, and friendship to Charlotte over the last 6 months.

The family would also like to express their gratitude to the staff at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House for the kindness, care, and respect they provided to Charlotte in her final days.

In lieu of flowers, and in the spirit of Christmas and her love for children, the family asks that donations be made in Charlotte’s memory to: Toys for Tots, online donations can be made by going to their website: toysfortots.org or to the Portland Press Herald Children’s Toy Fund, PO Box 7310, Portland, ME 04112 or online at pressheraldtoyfund.org

Family and friends are invited to a walk-through visitation, Wednesday, Dec. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St., Rockland. Guest are asked to wear masks, enter then exit after a brief visit, giving time and distance for all to greet the family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, December 11, 2020, at 11 a.m., at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, 150 Broadway, Rockland.

Charlotte will be laid to rest privately, next to her husband John at Coughlin Cemetery.