Charlotte A. McGregor

Charlotte A. McGregor (nee Aupperle) Passed away August 24^th, 2023.  The beloved wife of Douglas for 53 years.  Cherished mother of Erica and Craig (Jennifer).  Her passion was her two granddaughters, Shannon and Molly, who gave her joy that cannot be measured. 

Charlotte was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the daughter of German immigrants, Max and Hedwig (Haas) Aupperle.  She attended the University of Michigan and graduated in 1963 with a degree in History. Shortly thereafter she moved to New York City where she worked as a secretary at the Rockefeller Foundation.  After several years she returned to Ann Arbor and soon after met her husband, Doug.  Their first date was to a Detroit Red Wings hockey game; despite that, she still married him on December 19, 1970. 

They started their married life in Ypsilanti, Michigan and along the way lived in Columbus, Ohio, Troy, Michigan, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and finally Pepper Pike, Ohio where they have lived since 1988.  She was an exceptional hostess, gifted cook and baker, and always took great care in planning her gatherings, especially for her family.  Her German Christmas cookies were loved by all.  She was a talented sewer and seamstress, having learned from her tailor father.  When her daughter was young, Charlotte made many of Erica’s clothes and even made matching dresses for Erica’s favorite doll. She became a fervent hockey mom traveling with her son, Craig, to hockey tournaments, even gamely participating in the parent child game. 

A proud Michigan graduate, Charlotte, along with Doug, was a football season ticket holder and attended nearly every Michigan home game for over 50 years.  Charlotte was a prolific needlepointer and her children’s homes are filled with beautiful pillows, wall hangings, and, in a true labor of love, Christmas stockings.  She was blessed to have traveled the world, including nearly every European country, Australia, Japan, China, Africa, Iceland, and Russia.  She planned many family trips all over the United States.  She loved spending time at Base Lake outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan at a cottage originally purchased by her parents in 1945 and the beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina where she spent her winters for many years. 

 She found joy in meeting new people and learning their life stories. She was active for many years with the Women’s Committee at the Cleveland Institute of Music.  She was the heart of the family home and the most extraordinary wife, mother, and grandmother. 

She fought valiantly in her final years and particularly in her last weeks and showed bravery that we can only hope to emulate.  Most importantly, she was strong in her faith and we know is now with her Lord in the glory of heaven. Her family will miss her every day. Preceded in death by her parents, brother and sister-in-law, Eric and Nancy Aupperle, and sister and brother-in-law Gertrude (Trudy) and Irving Salmeen.

Memorial gifts may be made in her name to the Cleveland Ronald McDonald House, 10415 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106, or to the Cleveland Institute of Music, 11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, August 31^st at 10:30 am in Valley Lutheran Church, 87 East Orange St., Chagrin Falls, OH 44022. The service will be live-streamed at ValleyLutheran.org/live. 

A reception will follow from 12 to 2:30pm in The Country Club, 2825 Lander Rd., Pepper Pike, OH 44124.  An interment will be held Friday, September 1^st, at 1pm in the Glen Eden Memorial Park, Livonia, MI.

FRIENDS MAY CALL AT BROWN-FORWARD, 17022 CHAGRIN BLVD., SHAKER HTS., OH 44120, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30^TH FROM 4 TO 6PM.