Charlotte Charlene (Chastain) Colson was born to James and Adeline (Redding) Chastain on Dec. 31,1930, in the family home at Wheeler Bottoms on the Missouri River in South Dakota. She was delivered by her Aunt Jen, as were all five of the children in the family. Charlotte’s father ran a ferry across the Missouri River.
At the time this was the only way to cross the river for several miles. Charlotte would do all the grocery shopping for her mother as her mother didn’t like to leave the house.
The family moved several times while she was growing up. First to Platte, then to Winner, and on to Custer before returning to Winner.
Charlotte finished the seventh grade and went to work at age 13 at Omaha Cold Storage. She always said she was breaking eggs and plucking chickens for the soldier boys.
Charlotte married the love of her life, Percy Colson, on Oct. 25, 1947. To this marriage four children were born: Roger, Kathryn, Karen, and Gary.
They worked on farms for the first several years of married life and moved to Winner in 1969. She worked several jobs after moving to town. Most notably, she and her sister Jean ran the Outlaw Creamery. Charlotte and her sisters, Jean and Twila, worked for Donna Dice and Barb Kuil and eventually took over and ran the Outlaw Cafe for many years.
After retiring, Charlotte and Percy enjoyed going for long rides in the country. She lived next door to her daughter Kathy and enjoyed watching her grandkids grow up. They always knew they could go to Grandma’s to watch TV with her or just hide out if they were in trouble at home. She was a member of the Assembly of God Church.
Charlotte passed away on Dec.16, 2020, at the Winner Hospital. She was 89 years 11 months and 16 days old. Charlotte lived the last 18 months of her life at the Winner Nursing Home. She liked it and often said “this is my home now.” She sat out in front and watched TV. She liked it there because she could greet everybody that walked by and visit with them.
Then the COVID-19 Pandemic hit and isolation became the new norm. She could no longer see and hug her children and grandchildren. The family tried to keep her spirits up by video chat, phone calls, and talking through the window glass. It was a losing battle and as time dragged on she got more and more depressed. She finally succumbed to her third battle with pneumonia.
Charlotte was loved by her family and friends and will be missed greatly.
She is survived by two daughters, Kathryn (David) Hagen of Winner, SD, and Karen (Davey) Nahnsen of Rapid City, SD; one son, Gary Colson of Winner, SD; her sister Twila Brunmeier, of Winner, SD; six grandchildren, Casey (Loni) Colson, Rapid City, SD, Chalsea (Chris) Larson, Elkton, SD, Chanie (Randy) Hlavka, Rapid City, SD, Chastin Hagen, Box Elder, SD, Chanteal (Zac) Pengra, Box Elder, SD, and Jesse Colson, Winner, SD; eleven great-grandchildren, Michael, Danielle, Cynthia, Olivia, Emily, Evan, Dayson, Raelyn, Evan, Riley, and Dane; also Gay Patmore, Jack and Jonathan Yeaman, and all of her Church Family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 66 years Percy, infant son Roger, brother Emmet, and sisters Jean Siewert and Shirley Broadbent.
Services are being planned for Summer 2021 so family and friends can gather to celebrate Charlotte’s life
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