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- [S5] Obituary.
Charlotte Lou ?Char? Riel Wellner, 80, of Yakima, went to be with her Lord, Tuesday, October 25, 2016 at Cottage in the Meadow with her loving family at her side.
Char was born June 1, 1936 in Stillwater, Oklahoma to William Franklin and Lucille (Boyd) Whitney. The family moved to Oregon when Char was five years old. They later moved to the Naches Heights area where Char attended Cowiche and Highland schools. She met Leonard Francis Riel and married him June 25, 1954 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Moxee. They raised their family in Moxee on a hop ranch. Len and Char developed a program that enabled them to give high school retreats, married couple and retreats for singles. The program is still being used today. They started the Married Couples Retreat Center and after Leonard?s death Char donated the Center that is now the Riel House. The Riel House has three homes now that unites mothers with their children while receiving schooling, recovery, and parenting classes.
Catholic education was important and Char was proud that all nine of her children received a Catholic education.
After Leonard?s death in 1989, Char married Edward F. Wellner at Holy Rosary Church on February 10, 1990. She was an active member of Holy Family Church. Family was Char?s life. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. For a short time, Char rented a space to operate CharLou Antiques and Collectibles on Yakima Avenue.
Survivors include her husband of 26 years, Edward Wellner of Yakima, children and their spouses, Mike & Barbara Riel of Moxee, Joe & Ruth Riel of Yakima, Les & Wanda Riel of Moxee, Paul & Peggy Riel of Selah, John & Michelle Riel of Moxee, Renee Riel Smith of Yakima, Cheryl & Doug Bancroft of Monroe, Denise Griffith of Moses Lake, Roger Riel & Dean Wilson of Klamath Falls, OR, and step-children, Jay & Rhonda Wellner of Yakima, Tamara & Bob Carnevale and Emily & Brian Winterlich of Maple Valley, WA, and Ben & Cristin Wellner of Moxee, 29 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren, also a sister, Dora Kaye Peterson, and numerous nieces, nephews and godchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Leonard Riel on April 7, 1989, brothers, Boyd Whitney, Fred Whitney, Ken Dawson, Mike Haskett, Guy Haskett and James Haskett.
Viewing and Vigil Services will be held at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Moxee, on Friday, October 28, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial is Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. also at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Holy Rosary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Central Washington Catholic Foundation, c/o Brookside Funeral Home, PO Box 1267, Moxee, WA 98936. Visit www.brooksidefhc.com to share a memory of Char.
Arrangements by Brookside Funeral Home & Crematory.
Yakima Herald Republic, Yakima, WA October 26, 2016
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