Charlene Ricketts

Charlene Ricketts, 87, of Abilene, died Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. Charlene was born on November 8, 1925 in Mora, Missouri, the daughter of Olga Christine (Roiter) and Charles John Schwensen, Jr. After graduation from high school and a year of college, she married William “Bill’ Ricketts in San Marcos, Texas on July 7, 1945. In 1955 she moved from San Antonio to Abilene. She was employed by Abilene Christian University for 45 years as administrative assistant to Bob Hunter, “her career from which she retired early at the age of 86 in 2012”. Charlene was an avid runner, having been awarded 500 trophies for running competitively until the age of 80. She was also interested in tennis, genealogy, travel, music, scrapbooking, and collecting windmills, as well as walking daily with friends. She was active in Women of ACU, ABWA, and her church, Hillcrest Church of Christ. Charlene also enjoyed going to York College every year for special study. She held the longest subscription of “Parents Magazine” which she currently shared with the third generation. Charlene was preceded in death by her husband Bill Ricketts in 1959, and her parents. Survivors include her sons and their spouses, Charles J. Ricketts and Lillian of Spring Branch, TX, and Robert W. Ricketts and Carole of Tuscola, TX; daughter, Elizabeth Ricketts Marcus and husband Irwin of Indiana, Pennsylvania; seven grandchildren, Kimberly Oros (Chad), Kelley Little (Marvin), Todd Latson (Stuart), Cynthia Pavlicek (Alfons), Halie Ricketts, Alyssa Abjornson (Tim), and William Ricketts (Alison); thirteen great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at a visitation at Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler in Abilene, on Friday, September 27, from 10:00 a.m. until the funeral service following at 11:00 a.m. Bill Luttrell and Joe Bell will officiate the service directed by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. Graveside services will be held in Haskell, Oklahoma in Haskell Memorial Park at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 28. Memorial contributions may be made to The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St, Abilene, TX 79601; Abilene Zoological Gardens, P O Box 60, Abilene, TX 79604; or Paramount Theater, 352 Cypress St., Abilene, TX 79601.