Obituary: Charlotte M. Major
Charlotte M. Major (February 6, 1947 鈥 September 11, 2026)
Charlotte M. Major of Manchester, Mich., passed away at Optalis Health in Ann Arbor, Mich., on September 11, 2026. She was born February 6, 1947, in Detroit to Charles and Catherine (Finney) Bickes of Lincoln Park, Mich.
Charlotte graduated from Holy Redeemer High School in Detroit. She attended Mercy College of Detroit, on the Ann Arbor campus, earning her Associate of Science in Nursing, spring of 1968. Years later, Char attended Madonna College, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Charlotte married the love of her life, Lewis C. Major Jr., July 12, 1968. Lew and Char celebrated 58 years of marriage this summer.
Charlotte served and volunteered in and around her community throughout her life, including her love of the library as director of the Manchester Library board. Charlotte was pivotal in the transition of the Manchester Library from a township to district library organization in 2000. Charlotte also enjoyed her days serving as a board member and several committee chair member roles for her church, Emanuel United Church of Christ. In the early days of Lew and Char move to Manchester, she enjoyed working at the Manchester Flower Garden. Shortly thereafter she joined Dr. Okey & Dr. Johnson newly formed family practice in Manchester, which then expanded to Clinton, Mich. Char and Dr. Okey spent decades working alongside each other delivering babies at home and in area hospitals, building the family practice by caring for generations of patients, campers at a local summer camp, and taking care of her fellow community members. Char career made its final chapter at the Packard Community Clinic in Ann Arbor working alongside many wonderful staff members and caring for the community.
In the 1970s, Charlotte started walking for exercise, which morphed into jogging, then led to her finishing her first 5K, and from there she was hooked! After many 鈥渟maller鈥 runs, Charlotte set her site on marathons and was off running, literally. Charlotte completed many Detroit Free Press marathons. She used one of her finish times from the Free Press as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon then qualified for the Moscow Marathon where she traveled with an American Peace Ambassador group, touring and running in Russia and Kiev. Charlotte also left a legacy in Manchester as an organizer for the Manchester Mill Run. Outside of Char passion for running, she loved crafting, knitting, crocheting, quilting, and sewing. Her legacy in these 鈥渓abors of love鈥 will live on in the endless quilts, booties, baby washcloths, and sweaters she gifted many loved ones during her lifetime.
Charlotte is survived by her dedicated and loving husband, Lewis C. Major Jr.; children, Lewis C. (Rachel) Major III of Tecumseh, Mich., Amy (Mark) Eberflus of Lexington, S.C., and Holly (Ed Boucher) Major of Manchester, Mich.; grandchildren, Ben (Amber) Major, James (Fallon) Major, Alyssa (William) Lewis, Faith (Drew) Eberflus, Aidan Majorprice, Maran (Matthew Krey) Major, Chloe Majorprice, and Caelin Major. Char is also a great-grandmother of six great-grandchildren with another baby due on her birthday next year. Char will be publicly honored with visitation Thursday, September 17, 2026, from 3pm to 8pm, at Eineder Funeral Home, 207 E Duncan St, Manchester, Mich. Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 18, 2026, at 11am, at Emanuel United Church of Christ, 324 W Main St, Manchester, Mich.; interment will take place immediately following at Oak Grove Cemetery in Manchester, Mich. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions given in Charlotte name to the Manchester District Library.
The family would like to thank the many staff at Trinity Health of Ann Arbor, Arbor Hospice, and Optalis Health and Rehabilitation Center for all the great, comprehensive, and outstanding care given to our wife/mother during her final journey.
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