Charlotte Mae Hoyem, 73, of Bootjack, passed away Monday evening, May 5, 2003, following a lengthy battle with cancer at the Houghton County Medical Care Facility in Hancock where she had been a patient for the past two weeks.

Charlotte was born on November 30, 1929 in Ferndale, Mich., a daughter of Charles and Dorothy Valentine. She was a graduate of Marysville High School in Marysville, Mich., Class of 1947 and also attended the University of Michigan and Siena Heights College in Adrian, Mich. She was married to Gordon E. Hoyem on December 6, 1950 in Minneapolis, Minn. She later lived in St. Clair, Mich., Birmingham, Mich. for 27 years and since 1983, had made her home in Bootjack. She was an architectural draftsman, having worked for her father and husband. She was very artistic and did creative writing while living in Birmingham. She was very active in the Creative Art Center where she was the Director of Education. Charlotte enjoyed painting in her art studio in Bootjack. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Surviving are her husband, Gordon; two sons, Gordon E. Hoyem II of Gaylord, George C. (Ellen) Hoyem of Burlingame, Calif.; three daughters, Karen N. Hoyem of Madison, Wis., Valri L. (Kim) Peyser of Santa Cruz, Calif., Charlotte D. (David) Multer of Santa Cruz, Calif.; 12 grandchildren; two brothers, Charles (Luana) Valentine III of Fla., Thomas (Beverly) Valentine of Mich.; three sisters, Dorothy (William) Kuhn of Calif., Beatrice (Joe) Diduca of Calif., Judith Valentine of Mich.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

At the request of Charlotte, there will be no public visitation or funeral service. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, the family suggests memorials be made to the Bootjack Fire and Rescue First Responders. The Erickson Crowley Funeral Home in Calumet is serving the family.

To Those I Love And Those Who Love Me

When I am gone, release me, let me go.
I have so many things to see and do
You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears,
Be happy that we had so many years.
I gave you my love, you can only guess
How much you gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love you each have shown,
But now it's time I traveled on alone.
So grieve a while for me if grieve you must,
Then let your grief be comforted by trust.
It's only for a while that we must part,
So bless the memories within your heart.
I won't be far away, for life goes on
So if you need me, call and I will come.
Though you can't see or touch me, I'll be near
And if you listen with your heart, you'll hear
All of my love around you soft and clear.
And then, when you must come this way alone,
I'll greet you with a smile and "welcome home".

A Verse At Santa Cruz
by
Charlotte Mae Hoyem

Nevertheless, as we sit now all alone
here in Santa Cruz, ocean waves cycle drone
musical sounds, rhythmical pounding sounds,
surfdom periodic pulse beats, heart heard
a thumping, a pounding defiance liquid verse matter volume.
Bombardier beetle analysis left behind - Bebe waiting,
classical music soothing to our cranial axiomatics,
minus flames of our Bootjack fireplace - snow flakes abound.
Nevertheless, as we sit alone in historical reflections,
forerunner Ridpath, and recalling nation's history, founding
Dow Jones and stock markets, obliterations three trillion,
dual "dark eyes" of Greenspan, ignorance of commands
from my axiom, wallowing in his conceitedness of inept,
at times brain powers, soon he too kiss coffin cover goodbye.
Some muse soon, rather than later, but what good does that do
another petite pawn in God's preprogramming.
Soon he too shall puff...be gone but alas vat then!
Therein lies the rub...of that question...so goodnight
my lords, kings, and children...we - know our
yesterdays today, but Lo! Vat of our tomorrow!
Thus wave off to the old chap up there in the sky.
So be it...let us all move on into history
or His...story, tales we as minute pawns
all individual en mass caught up in...
soon living witness to history...past
gone soon from our grasp!
Nevertheless, once again we sit alone.
Adieu! We bid yo'all goodnight
in the genealogy track of
this plight.