CHARLENE LOUISE BENNION BRUNSTAD - 5/24/1952 to 5/4/2017

Charlene Louise Brunstad, 64, of Boise, died Thursday, May 4, 2017, at her home, of natural causes.

Charlene Louise Brunstad left her mortal body at home early Thursday, May 4, 2017 surrounded by her loving family and after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Salt Lake City May 24, 1952 to Alfred H. and Jean Margaret Bennion, attended Blaine Elementary, Central Junior High, and Granite High School and was a class officer in both of the last two schools. She attended the University of Utah until marrying Paul Brunstad in the LDS Salt Lake Temple and going to work for Utah State Social Services as a Secretary.

After working for the State for two years, Charlene left the position to start a family, and she and Paul became the parents of the children who were the center of her life. She loved them, taught them, and showed them the values they needed to become the people she knew they could be.

Charlene moved with Paul’s corporate employment to Seattle (WA), Portland (OR), back to Kaysville (UT), to Clarkston (WA), and to Boise (ID), where she spent the last 21 years. She hand painted girls’ hair barrettes for an Oregon company for several years, and taught piano and voice lessons for 40 years as well and at the same time home-schooled several of her younger children during their early years of education in order to give them the basic curriculum she felt they needed. When the barrette company was sold, Charlene became a substitute teacher teaching mostly music in the Boise School District, as that was her love and her passion. Over the ten plus years in that position, she was asked to do several long term substitute assignments at the request of the music supervisor, where she put together several programs and commemorations and enjoyed leading choirs, bands, and orchestras from elementary to high schools. She taught with joy and love of music and students as well.

Charlene loved children, and showed that love to all she taught. No-one escaped her big heart and her bigger smile, and they responded to her with love as she showed them how much she loved them. She loved teaching her Primary classes in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or playing the piano for the meetings. She loved her Father in Heaven, and her Savior Jesus Christ, and was fearless defending them in any situation. She was a lifetime member of the Church, and spent a great deal of time in her callings in the Church and in service to those who she felt needed a hand or a friend. She despised bigotry and bullying, and was not bashful in teaching a loving lesson to anyone who spoke harshly to another.

Charlene loved to sing, and was in choirs in high school, LDS Institute at the U of Utah, her LDS wards, stakes, and other choirs. She studied vocal and piano privately and at the U of U. She loved the piano, and accompanied the choirs and classes she taught. She loved to dance, and was in pep club, dance club in high school, and in other groups that allowed her to show her talent and her love of music.

Charlene and her family express our gratitude for the friends who have helped and served her during her struggle with cancer. In addition, our profound and tearful thanks to the doctors, nurses, and friends we all made at St. Luke’s Mountain States Tumor Institute, and St. Luke’s Hospice. Their excellent care gave Charlene hope and an extended time here on earth after her diagnosis. We respond with love and fond memories for what they gave her.

Charlene leaves behind her husband, seven living children: Nolan (Tonia) Brunstad, Candice (Doug) Walker all from Seattle (WA), David (Fiona) Brunstad, Mark Brunstad, Meghan (Zach) Felton, Adam (Heather) Brunstad all of Boise (ID), and Michelle (Jim) Kauffman of Great Falls (MT). Kenzie, Xander, Logan, Noah, and Kira are the grandchildren who became large pieces of her heart. She leaves two sisters, Sharon (Art) Garrison of Connecticut, and Janet (Doug) Metcalf of Utah. She leaves one brother, Fred (Jenifer) Bennion of Utah, and her siblings’ posterity that totals over 50 children and grandchildren living all over the United States. She also leaves cousins in Boise, Salt Lake, and other areas of the county with their families as well. She is preceded in death by her father Alfred H. Bennion, her mother Jean Margaret Russell, step-mother Doris Self Bennion, and numerous beloved uncles and aunts.

She loved every one of them and was loved in return. She was proud of her Bennion family heritage. She made friends of adults as well as with children, and was beloved by all who knew her. Her passing will be felt by a large number of those who would have wanted her to remain with us on the earth.

A viewing will be held Monday, May 8 from 6:00 – 8:00PM. The funeral will be held on Tuesday, May 9, at 11:30AM. A secondary viewing will also be held prior to the funeral on Tuesday from 10:00 – 11:00AM. All services will be held at the LDS south Five Mile Road chapel: 2650 S. Five Mile Road, Boise, ID. 83709. Interment services to be held at Dry Creek Cemetery. Funeral services under the arrangement of Relyea Funeral Home.

Charlene had a keen sense of what was important in life. We are sorrowful to have lost her and feel reminded in this of the Roger Whittaker song of years ago which ended with the lines….”But you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell.”

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179049400/charlene-louise-brunstad