Having surpassed her 100th birthday by twenty-seven days, Charlotte Kilbourne Carleton, died on June 8, 2010, at the Hospice Unit of Bethesda Memorial Hospital. A resident of Harbour's Edge in Delray Beach, Mrs. Carleton was the widow of George Carleton, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Carleton had first moved to Gulfstream in 1966, and then to Harbour's Edge in 1993. Mrs. Carleton was born in Dayton, Ohio, on May 12, 1910, the daughter of Dr. Perley Howe Kilbourne and Ethel Crouse Kilbourne. She was the oldest of Dr. and Mrs. Kilbourne's four children: herself, her sisters Marjorie and Eleanor, and her brother John. She was graduated in the first class of Oakwood High School in Dayton in 1928, and attended Bradford College. Her sisters and brother pre-deceased her, and she was last of her generation in the family. Charlotte is survived by her nephews David Young, John Barker, Jeffrey Barker, and John Kilbourne, and her nieces Canaan Caesar and Mary Ann Kilbourne, seven grand nieces and nephews, and eight great-grand nieces and nephews. Mr. and Mrs. Carleton moved to Palm Beach County from Philadelphia where they had lived for most of their married life. Their last residence there was in the suburb of Chestnut Hill. They lived on Place Au Soleil in Gulfstream before relocating to Harbour's Edge. For most of the 1970s and until 1982, Charlotte and George also maintained a summer residence in Highlands, NC. After Charlotte and George's sixty-six year marriage, Mr. Carleton died in 1997. Throughout her life, Charlotte – known as Char or Fidgie to those who knew her best – was a sincere and gracious patroness of a vast number of charities and the underprivileged. Her generosity underwrote an untold, world-wide range of deserving organizations, groups, and individuals, too many to mention in this tribute. Her deep interests in social progress and individual achievement manifested themselves in support of those in need. Charlotte retained the keenest of minds until the very end of her life. She read extensively, and was interested in financial matters, sports, politics, community affairs, the environment, and current events of all nature. She loved poetry, music, and literature. She was a woman of deep and committed faith, and she and George were members of the UCC Church of the Palms. Her family and friends never ceased to be amazed at her acuity and continuing interest on the broadest scopes of matters, and being with her was always a true delight. Until a few years ago, she was a whiz at the bridge tables, and always a Belle of the Ball. She loved, and was loved widely. Her family was the central focus of her wonderful life. Each marriage, birth, or other transition was made her own. Her support, guidance, generosity, and love were immeasurable to each within her family's loving circle. To celebrate her centennial, nearly all of her relatives and several close friends gathered at Harbour's Edge on May 30th for a grand luncheon at which she was honored, toasted, and feted at the highest level. The room was decorated in French and Parisian motif, reflecting her fond memory of travel there with George. Char drank (a tiny bit of) champagne, feasted with her loved ones, and thanked all in her best French. It was only nine days later that she passed on to her greater reward. She was revered and will be deeply missed. But each of those she touched, be it family, friend, professional provider, care-giver, or charitable beneficiary is better for her presence in our lives, and in her own special way, she made the world a better place for all of us. Services at the Church of the Palms will be scheduled and announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family knows that Charlotte would be delighted by gifts to their own favorite charities by those who care to do so. A quiet toast in her memory and honor is also encouraged and appreciated.