Charlene M. Wash

Charlene Margaret Wash (nee Oehler), 82, passed away on October 11, 2025. Charlene was born on August 24, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Karl and Irene (Hungler) Oehler. She was a graduate of Our Lady of Angels High School, class of 1961. Charlene married the love of her life, James K. Wash, on August 10, 1963, and shared 62 years of marriage together. She was preceded in death by her parents and stepfather Arthur Riley, and her grandson, Drew. Charlene is survived by her husband, James, her children Lisa (Steve) Ambach, Jim (Mary Beth) Wash, Doug, Jeff and Don Wash, her grandchildren Erin (Ryan) Cleary, Shannon (David) Flaherty, Katie (Alex) Baker, Stephanie Ambach, Maximus and Vivian Wash, Meghan Wabnitz, and her great-grandchildren Sloane, Henry and Maeve Cleary, Colin, Brinn and Reagan Flaherty and Harrison and Otto Baker. She is also survived by her siblings Edward (Carolyn) Oehler, Mary (late Lawrence) Freedberg, Paulette (Carl) Weigand, Karen (Charles) Trotter, Joseph (Gale) Oehler and Daniel (Patricia) Oehler, sisters-in-law Joan (Sanford) Hopkins and Jackie (late Gene) Isaacs, and 17 nieces and nephews.

She often spoke fondly of her childhood along with her siblings, and told stories about growing up above the family grocery store. As a resident of Price Hill, Ohio, Charlene was a parishioner at St. Williams Catholic Church for many years, and often enjoyed walking to and from mass on Sundays. She loved music and was an accomplished clarinetist, playing with various community groups over the years. Her greatest joy in life was being the most wonderful mother to her children, a role which she perfected and carried out year after year. The fact that her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren genuinely wanted to spend their free time with her is a testament to how deep her motherly love ran.

Her family will tell you that you rarely saw Charlene without her husband by her side. Their love and marriage was an everlasting example for us to look up to. After years of hard work raising children, they made the most of their retirement years. Together, they enjoyed the outdoors and traveled the country with their pop-up camper. From camping with strangers in Alaska to sleeping with the mice on Mount Le Conte, there wasn’t an adventure they shied away from, as long as they did it together. They created a family gathering place at their own campsite at Mineral Springs next to their daughter’s site. For 20 years, they had the good fortune to spend winters in North Fort Myers, Florida, cultivating friendships with people from all over the country. She and Jim also visited their son’s lake house on Cave Run Lake in Kentucky, having countless sleepovers with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She is responsible for so many of her family’s core life memories. While several stand out, insisting that 13 people all share a very small house in Ludington, Michigan will always be a unanimous favorite. For the next 13 summers, those same family members, a few friends, new spouses, and babies continued to come together there.

Charlene must have had a few faults, but we can’t think of them now. She lived her life with kindness at the forefront, demonstrating the degree of strength that could only exist in her petite 5”3 frame. She loved fiercely, but often did so quietly, her love made evident in rocking a baby to sleep, waking early to prepare breakfast, and doing so, so, so many dishes. She never missed a big life event and always showed up. We’ll remember her for so many things, but most of all how much she loved us, and how much we will always love her in return.

A memorial gathering will take place at St. William Church on Monday October 20, 2025 from 11am until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 12pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to one's charity of choice in Charlene's name.