Charlene was born in Farmington, Utah on December 16, 1930 to Charles Allen Secrist and Hazel Bingham. When she was three, her family moved to Wilson, Utah (now West Haven) following the purchase of a farm there. Childhood on the farm was spent with work and play, and her kid brother Gerald. Her sister Sharon, who became her closest friend, came along a few years later.

Life on the farm, the Wilson School, Weber High School, Weber College, and later BYU were the checkpoints of her early life. Charlene earned a BA from BYU and returned to her alma-mater, Weber High School where she taught Home Economics and Sewing, but it was at an art class during her time at Weber College where she met the quiet, kind, and handsome Donald Mathewson. Following Don’s service as a full-time missionary, the two were married on May 27, 1955 in the Salt Lake Temple. Their eternal union spanned 64 years, and continues…

Following Don’s schooling at the University of Utah, UCLA, Don and Charlene returned to Ogden, where Don built their family home in North Ogden. They welcomed five children into their home and raised them in the idyllic Whispering Oaks subdivision. Charlene was a devoted wife and mother, spending her days in the service of and rearing of her four sons. Family meals, bedtime stories, evening prayers, and a kiss on the forehead when tucking in her children were the norm. She kept a well ordered and tidy home… except for the boy’s rooms! The quality of life afforded the Mathewson boys in North Ogden cannot be overstated.

Once the boys were raised, Charlene returned to Weber High School as a Home-EC, interior design and family life Teacher, until her retirement in 1995.

Charlene was blessed with a beautiful soprano voice, and through the years put her gift and talent to good use singing solos and in choirs, and smaller ensembles, blessing others with the songs from her heart.

She loved flowers and the magnificence of the outdoors. She was an avid gardener, and her yard was always a peaceful, inviting, and beautiful oasis. She was also a very talented artist and seamstress with her paintings and artwork adorning the walls of her home and her sons being some of the best dressed young boys in the neighborhood.

Throughout her life, Charlene was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she spent her entire life, whether in church callings, or just as likely as a friend and neighbor, emulating the Savior in word and deed, including her 20 years of service as a pink-lady at McKay Dee Hospital. At any gathering, she had a way of “working the room” wherein every single person was greeted, thanked for something, and made to feel valued and loved. Her friendly smile was legendary and persisted even when old age had stolen the vigor of her younger years.

Charlene is survived by her four sons, Scott (Angie) Mathewson, Shaun (Tina) Mathewson, Paul (Jan) Mathewson, & Todd (Pam) Mathewson, and her sister Sharon (Darrell) South. She was preceded in death by her parents, her infant daughter Catherine, and her brother Gerald.

The Mathewson family would like to thank the staff at The Lodge in North Ogden for their attentive care given to Mom the last year of her life… for being not just caregivers but also friends, and coining the term, “the Charlene look”. Many, many thanks.

A viewing will be held at Myers Mortuary 845 Washington Blvd. Ogden, UT 84404 Thursday evening May 8 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Funeral services will be held at Myers Mortuary Chapel at 11:00 a.m., Friday May 9, with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 a.m. preceding the funeral services.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-mortuary.com.