July 18, 1932 - May 14, 2018
Surrounded by her family, Charloss (age 85) went to be with Jesus on May 14, 2018. She was born to William and Helen Cabbage on July 18, 1932 in Spokane, where she was a lifelong resident. In Charloss’ youth, her mother remarried and she was adopted by Charles Johnston. In elementary school, she was chased home by a couple of bullies and earned the lifelong nickname of “Punch.” In her adolescence, she was a vocalist in the All-City Glee Club; she was asked to go to New York to study with Patrice Munsel and Bing Crosby, but decided to stay in Spokane to play softball and swim with Starfish (synchronized swimming). In 1951, she married Gerald Wellington and their daughter Pamela was born one year later. In 1956, Charloss married Robert Gilbert and together they had Lena and Robert Jr. In 1971, she had a fourth child, Darcelina. In the early 1970s, she married Hubert Dillon; they enjoyed many years together until he passed in 2004. Charloss had a great sense of humor and cracked up everyone at family gatherings. After she started a family, she realized a love and talent for baking. Her brownies, cookies, and pies were coveted by family and friends. She was a strong, remarkable woman and will be greatly missed by her family. They will always cherish the wonderful, fun memories and stories they have of their mother, grandma, and great-grandma. She is survived by her brother Edgar Pears, daughters Pamela (Jon) Thorson, Lena (Jeff) Phillips, and Darcelina (Edwin) Soloria, and her son Robert Gilbert Jr; grandchildren Ron Stratton, Allison Paparella, Josh Phillips, Kai and Keoni Soloria; her great-grandchildren Manda, Brittney, and Brandon Ferguson, Larry King, Jaylen Miller, Jackson and Jocelyn Phillips, Quintin and Alessia Paparella; and great-great grandchildren Amiyah, Kaliya, Kailyn, and Beau. She is preceded in death by her birth father, mother and adoptive father, sister Bonnie Jean Higgins, brother William Cabbage, grand-daughters Kylene Pyeatt and Layna Ferguson, and previous husbands Robert Gilbert and Hubert Dillon. The family would like to thank the team at Holy Family for all their care and support for Charloss in her last days. There will be a memorial service on June 9, 2018, at 2:00 pm, at Living Hope Church 918 E. Garland Ave, Spokane, WA 99207.
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