Mrs. Charlotte Schlosser (nee Ebel), 82, of Fair Haven, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 12 in Fair Haven, surrounded by family and friends.
Charlotte was born in Frankfurt, Germany. After high school she apprenticed and worked at the Frankfurt airport. She studied English and traveled to Birmingham, England, to practice it. She then worked at AEG in the computer center where she learned to program the IBM 650. She then applied to be a programmer at the German Computer Center working on the 650, where she met Wolfgang, who was working on his post-doctoral studies. They were married in early 1963, and shortly thereafter they moved to Braunschweig where Wolfgang had a position teaching electrical engineering. Shortly thereafter, Wolfgang received an offer to come to Bell Labs in Murray Hill. Together they packed their belongings and VW bug into a container and moved to Basking Ridge.
After a few years of renting a house on South Alward in Basking Ridge, they bought a house in Homestead Village where they settled in and made long-lasting friendships. Charlotte immediately set to work on house and garden, also teaching herself to cook. She was an active member of the garden club and served on the Shade Tree Commission. Charlotte and Wolfgang welcomed first Dorothea, then Michael into the world. A doting mother, she set her considerable creative talents sewing Halloween costumes, planning birthday parties, and volunteering as a Girl Scout troop leader. She also loved to paint and draw, and loved to puzzle.
In 1989 the family moved to Fair Haven where she set about transforming a plain lot into an award winning garden. After retirement, she and Wolfgang traveled all over the world, including Patagonia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Turkey. She also became politically active, writing to political leaders and championing causes.
Charlotte was predeceased by her son, Michael. Charlotte is survived by her loving husband, Wolfgang; daughter, Dorothea; son-in-law, Tom; grandchildren, Anika and Thaddeus; and brother, Hans-Peter. The family is especially grateful to Corina, Ann and Adrienne who were steadfastly by her side throughout her illness.
A memorial concert and reception will be held on Sunday, September 10 at 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Sanctuary in Lincroft. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to the Nature Conservancy or WQXR. The Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank, is in charge of arrangements.
