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**HOWIE** · 12-28-2007, 12:33 PM

Blazer fan dies at 109

Quote:

SALEM -- The woman believed to be the oldest person in Salem has died two months short of her 110th birthday.

Luella Patton Charlton loved to read, and she kept track of the stock market and the Portland Trail Blazers right up until her final hours.

"She was bright, sparkly eyed, coherent and ran her own financial matters," said Gail McDougle, the pastor of First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. "She was really fully engaged in her life until 24 hours before she died."

Charlton was born in a three-story mansion across the street from the Capitol. The mansion was later cleared for the state library. When she married, Charlton moved to her second and last home, where she lived for more than 80 years until her death Sunday.

Charlton's husband, E. Carl Charlton, a former Salem police assistant chief and two-term councilman, died in 1959.

Longtime family friend John M. Harvey of Portland, a retired news editor at The Oregonian, often lunched with Charlton on Sundays. "She led a full life. She was still going to Reno in her '90s," Harvey said. "And she gave up driving in her mid-90s and then complained about it for a year about what a mistake it had been."

Charlton taught piano lessons for years and owned an upright Hallet, Davis & Co. piano that was more than a century old. She watched Trail Blazers games religiously and kept track of players with a handwritten roster. For her 109th birthday, the team presented Charlton with gifts that included a team pennant and a bobblehead of center Joel Przybilla, her favorite player, Harvey said.

Oregonlive.com

**B_&_B** · 12-28-2007, 12:50 PM

I wish more Trail Blazer fans where as loyal as she was. Thanks for posting Howie (you ugly Steeler fan!)

SixPack · 12-28-2007, 01:50 PM

RIP Luella Patton Charlton, I hope we can bring a Blazer Championship this season or in the coming years.

yakbladder · 12-28-2007, 03:48 PM

That's a freaking awesome fan.

But I wish the Blazers would've had Joel stop by for her 110th.

Bobbleheads just don't cut it.

**Dan** · 12-28-2007, 04:39 PM

It's bad enough you outlive a spouse, but imagine outliving a spouse by almost 50 years.

LameR · 12-28-2007, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakbladder

That's a freaking awesome fan.

But I wish the Blazers would've had Joel stop by for her 110th.

Bobbleheads just don't cut it.

That would be a bit out of taste given she died before her 110th.

yakbladder · 12-28-2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LameR

That would be a bit out of taste given she died before her 110th.

*laugh*..yes, sorry, meant 109th..

**Xericx** · 12-28-2007, 07:05 PM

R.I.P. City

good to see passionate blazer fans, even in old age. My gramps was the same way, even watched when they were bad but remained a fan.

**Entity** · 12-28-2007, 07:21 PM

I think it's amazing that she STARTED being a Blazer fan either at or older than 72 years old. Never too old to gain new interests.

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