Charlena Gale

Albany- Charlena Ruth Gale was born on November 27, 1935 in Canyonville, Oregon to Cecil and Ruth (Buxton) Wolfer. After high school Charlena went to live with her sister, Jane in Martinez, California and worked as a CNA at Martinez County Hospital.  This is where she met and married Kenneth Brown.  When Charlena was 20 years old she had Michael and 2 years later she had Steve.  When the boys were 12 and 10 years old, Kenneth passed away in Concord, California. Charlena moved up to Medford, Oregon at this time to be closer to his sister Jane.  After living in Medford for a year, Charlena moved back to her hometown of Canyonville.  This is when Charlena went back to school at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon and received her nursing degree. She was a straight A student. Charlena worked as an LPN at Roseburg Community Hospital.  In 1975, Charlena married Lesley Gale, an Elder in the Days Creek Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.  They were married 6 years before Les passed away.  In 1981, Charlena moved to Corvallis, Oregon to be close to her 2 sons.  Charlena worked part time doing in home health care until she retired. Charlena loved helping others. Her faith was very important to Charlena and she was an active member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.  Just as important was her spending time with her family.  In her spare time, she enjoyed her grandchildren and great grandchildren gardening, and photography. On April 4, 2020 Charlena passed away in Albany, Oregon.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Ruth; husbands, Kenneth & Lesley; and son, Steven; and her sisters Ethel and Jane. She is survived by her son, Michael (Kathy) Brown; Grandchildren, Lane, Kallie, Shaun and Julie; Great Grandchildren, Kaden, Noel, Samuel, Mercy, Elijah, Addison, Jude and Asher; and siblings Hannah, Cecil and Francis. Charlena will be greatly missed by her family and friends.  She always put the needs of others ahead of her own!