Charlotte Elizabeth Sullivan (née Gersmeier), passed away on March 8, 2023, after a long and full life, at the age of 91. As a beloved mother and  friend, she will be greatly missed. All are welcome to attend the visitation on Monday, March 13, 2023, from 4 to 8 pm at Spangler's Mortuary in Mountain View. Her funeral service will be held on Tuesday, March 14, at Saint Nicholas Catholic Church in Los Altos with internment immediately following at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in Los Altos.

Charlotte called the San Francisco Bay Area home for nearly her entire life, though she delighted in exploring new places and meeting new people. She was born in San Francisco on July 29, 1931, to Henry and Theresa Gersmeier. Six years earlier, Henry had emigrated from Brochterbeck, Germany. Charlotte was the second of three children and is predeceased by her younger sister, Diane (2000), and her older sister, Barbara (2014). As a young Catholic growing up in San Francisco, she attended St. Cecelia's School, then Immaculate Conception Academy for high school. After graduation, she attended Heald Business School. Charlotte soon met Ralph Sullivan at a Catholic social club and they married in 1955. Ralph enlisted in the Army as an engineer and the newlyweds were stationed at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. Ralph worked on the Honest John missile while Char worked as a secretary in the same building as Wernher von Braun! They enjoyed the Southern flavors and trips to Mobile Bay. After the Army, they moved back to California and settled in Los Altos Hills. Ralph entered the private sector as a mechanical engineer for Varian Associates working on electromagnets. They soon welcomed a son, Mark, their first of six children. Daughter Eileen followed a year later. After a move to San Mateo, son Matthew was born. Ralph & Char designed & built their large family home in Los Altos in 1963 and three more children followed: Michael, then Erin, and baby Elise (deceased 1972).

Charlotte was the full-time manager of their home and family life, and she oversaw it all with her impeccable style, famous hospitality, and sharp sense of humor. As a mom, she savored every opportunity to be involved - whether it was as a Girl Scout leader, hosting basketball team dinners, or joining the school's Talent Show moms for a roller-skating performance. In the midst of raising children and teens, Char also put her polished administrative skills to work at various companies, including Digital Equipment Corporation, Stanford University, and Los Altos Parc Regent. But she took the most pride in building a stable home base, organizing numerous family camping excursions and epic neighborhood festivities on Alma Court where fond memories run deep. Her green thumb is legendary, and she was never happier than when she was serving one of her exceptional meals around her dining table. Sadly, Ralph passed away at the age of 50 in 1981. And this thrust Charlotte into a new phase of her life.

She made sure all her children attended college and supported them as she could. As her children grew and graduated, Charlotte celebrated their successes. She traveled to Europe to visit Matt and Mark when they studied / worked abroad and was eager to explore different cultures. Later, she would hold vigil over Matt, then Michael, when they had near-fatal accidents as young adults. As her children married and started their own families, Char relished her added role as Grammy.

After downsizing to a home at The Villages retirement community in 1999, she enjoyed singing with The Village Voices, laughing with her grandchildren at the wild turkeys gobbling over the hillsides, and hosting memorable gatherings, especially her 70th birthday bash. After dementia had reared its ugly head, Charlotte was blessed with round-the-clock care at Cedar Crest Nursing & Rehabilitation in Sunnyvale. Even with this ultimate health challenge, Char continued to make friends easily, always cheering for the underdog, and helping anyone she saw in need. She didn't let much get in her way. Her legacy of tenacity, resilience, and compassion are treasured family heirlooms.

She is survived by her children, Mark (Huy Tran) Sullivan, Eileen (David Kornfield) Sullivan, Matthew (Karen) Sullivan, Michael (Otilia) Sullivan, and Erin Sullivan. She leaves behind six grandchildren: Francis and Liam Sullivan; Brandan, Justin and Andrew Sullivan; and Grace Sullivan. She will be lovingly remembered by her family in California, Alabama, Texas, and Germany.

We are truly grateful to the amazing group of caregivers who worked so hard to keep Charlotte happy and healthy in recent years. If you would like to make a donation, please send it to Cedar Crest Nursing & Rehabilitation, Tracie Murray, Administrator, 408-738-4880, traciemurray@lifegen.net.