Charlyne Selma (Nelson) Van Oosbree

Charlyne Van Oosbree, 89, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on Thursday, March 7, 2019, in Rio Rancho, NM. She was born on Sunday, January 19, 1930, in Alta, IA, to John and Albertine Nelson. She grew up in Storm Lake, IA, where she received her education, graduating from Storm Lake High School in 1947.

In her early years she had a variety of jobs that were adventurous and educational. She worked as a waitress, a nurse's aide, a telephone operator, a country school teacher, and a clerk in a Woolworth's store. On December 30, 1950, she married Anton "Tony" Van Oosbree in Yuma, AZ. They spent the early years of their marriage in San Diego, CA, where Tony was stationed in the US Navy. In 1952, they moved back to Storm Lake where they raised their family. Widowed in 1965, Charlyne returned to college and earned her BA degree in English from Iowa State University. She went on to pursue her MA degree in library science from the University of Missouri. Her career as a librarian spanned 22 years and included positions throughout Missouri in a hospital library, a school library, and a public library. In 1981 she became a librarian with the US Air Force and served on several bases in the United States and a base in Belgium. She retired in Jefferson City, MO, in 1991 and opened an antique and collectible shop. She also had booths in numerous antique malls throughout mid-Missouri.

She loved to travel and particularly enjoyed camping trips with her husband and children throughout the United States. Her biggest adventure was taking a trip to Europe with her children by ocean liner in 1966. She purchased a Volkswagen and embarked on a six-week driving tour of the continent.

She was an avid reader and passed her love of literature and learning on to her children and grandchildren. She was also an accomplished poet and writer, and authored many articles for professional library journals. She loved animals, particularly her cats, and worked tirelessly to improve animal welfare. Her passionate, adventurous, and independent spirit lives on in those who knew and loved her.

She is survived by her children, Tina (David) Taylor of Gallup, NM, Jon (Sally) Van Oosbree of Lafayette, CA, and David Van Oosbree of San Francisco, CA.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Charlyne was preceded in death by her husband, Anton Van Oosbree; her parents, John and Albertine Nelson; her two brothers, Carroll and Loren Nelson; and her two sisters, Ardyce Sampers and Janice Nelson.

A private service in her memory will be held at a later date. The family requests contributions be made to the ASPCA www.aspca.org, Humane Society www.humanesociety.org, or local animal shelters to honor her memory.