Obituary for Charlotte Diane Moldenhauer

 Charlotte Diane Moldenhauer passed away on February 20 after a brave and courageous battle with leukemia at the age of 83. She was born on June 30, 1941, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, the youngest of eleven children, to William and Annie Hazelwanter.

At just 15 years old, Charlotte met the love of her life, Wayne Moldenhauer, and the two married in 1960 in Saskatoon. They built a beautiful life together and were looking forward to celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary this June.

Charlotte’s greatest joy in life was being a mother. She and Wayne were blessed with three wonderful daughters, who were her pride and joy. In 1970, the family moved from Canada to Davenport, Iowa, where Charlotte devoted herself to raising her children with boundless love and care.

She was a woman of determination and resourcefulness. When the family’s pop-up camper didn’t meet her standards for adventure, Charlotte took matters into her own hands—opening a home daycare to save for an RV. Once the camper was paid off, she continued babysitting, ensuring her daughters had the opportunity to pursue higher education, a dream she held dearly for them.

Charlotte was a longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, where she was deeply involved in the community. She served as a chairperson for the annual bazaar, sang in the choir, and eagerly volunteered whenever she was needed. Her faith and generosity were guiding forces in her life.

After retiring, Charlotte and Wayne joined CASI, where they have been members for over 20 years, making incredible friends and sharing countless joyful and humorous memories.

She had a deep love for adventure. In her younger years, she and her family created cherished memories while camping. Later in life, she became a world traveler, exploring Canada, visiting relatives in Austria and Australia, cruising through the Caribbean and Alaska, and taking a river cruise through Europe.

Charlotte never met a stranger—she quickly became friends with everyone she encountered. She was funny, kind, and generous, always bringing warmth and laughter into every room. Her children will forever remember growing up with an unlimited supply of her delicious home-baked cookies, a simple but meaningful reminder of her love.

Charlotte’s love, kindness, and unwavering support touched the lives of so many. Her legacy of devotion to family, faith, and friendship will forever be cherished by those who knew and loved her.

Charlotte is survived by her beloved husband, Wayne, and her daughters: Leanna (Michael) Donald, Lisa (Jeff) Davis, and Landra (Steve) Fair. She was a loving grandmother to Alex (Samantha) Donald, Zac (Larry Hill) Donald, Devin (Trever) Ellis, Sydney (Philip) Dingmann, Bryan and Mitchell (Niki) Fournier, and Elsa and Raina Fair. Charlotte was also blessed with four great-grandchildren: Laina, Blake, Amelia, and Allison.

The visitation will be at 10:00 am On Monday, February 24 at Our Lady of Victory Church, followed by the funeral at 11:00 am and then a luncheon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude’s Research Hospital in her memory.