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Charlyedean (Charyle) Shaw Wright
Hoover

Charlyedean (Charyle) Shaw Wright, a member of Hunter Baptist Church and resident of Hoover, died Friday, Feb. 7.

Charlye’s ancestors were pioneers who settled in Walker County in the 1800’s. Charlye was born in Birmingham in 1920. Her parents moved to Birmingham prior to World War I. Birmingham was hit hard by the Depression, and her father worked at T. C. I. as a railroad engineer when work was available.

Her parents’ home near Birmingham Southern College was the epitome of self-sufficiency, including a garden, which covered the back yard. Chickens and cows were part of the everyday life of their home, and clothes were made by hand.

During those years there was no zoning in Birmingham, and families could do what they needed to do in order to survive, which include the raising of livestock within minutes of downtown Birmingham.

Charlye married the love of her life, James E. (Jim) Wright, prior to World War II. They had two children, Gary and Judy. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Jim joined the Navy, and that left Charlye with the two children living with her parents, LuLu Lora Shaw and James Franklin Shaw, first with Gary and later when Judy was born, until the conclusion of the War.

Church and Sunday School were regular parts of their lives, and after the War they moved to Edgemont, a new subdivision on the edge of Homewood, where Charlye, Jim and the children lived in the early 50’s, through the 60’s, 70’s and into the 80’s and the early 90’s. Oakmont Methodist was their church home. That modest home in Homewood always had room for any of the children or grandchildren who needed a place during trying time in their lives. Charlye and Jim’s home was the gathering place for all the family for many decades.

Charlye was a stay-at-home mother, grandmother and great-grandmother all of her life.

Besides Charlye’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren the high point in her week was her Sunday School Class at Hunter Street Baptist Church.

Charlye was introduced to that class by a special friend and neighbor, Betty Claire Paden.

Charlye prayed and read her Bible faithfully. She was blessed to be a witness to her great-grandchildren accepting Christ, most of them doing so at Hunter Street Baptist.

Charlye was preceded in death by her parents, LuLu Lora Shaw and James Franklin Shaw; her brother, Rosemond Shaw; husband, James E. (Jim) Wright.

Survivors include her children: her son, Gary K. Wright (Diane) and her daughter, Judy W. Holliman (Jim); her grandchildren, Lora H. Poe (Frank), John R. Holliman (Melanie), Gary Wright, Jr. (Amanda), Kim Adams, and Pam Roberts; and her great-grandchildren, Jackson Poe, James Poe, Jonathan Poe, Heather Adams, Patrick Adams, Alexandria Holliman, Abigail Holliman, Tyler Wright, Carter Wright, Parker Wright, and Shane Roberts.

Charyle and Jim Wright’s generation have been described as “The Greatest Generation”. If that is true it is because they were raised and taught by a generation that survived World War I and The Great Depression.

Charyle was forever thanking all of us for what we were doing for her. No matter what we did for her it never repaid her for what she did for us.

Charlye lived with Jim and Judy for 25 years. It has been said that Judy and Jim sacrificed by having Charlye live with them. Those people are mistaken. In fact, just being around Charlye was a blessing.

Judy and Jim had the benefit of her years of wisdom in raising their family. She and Jim Wright were always there. The love and patience they gave all of us exceeded anything we have ever experienced. Charlye was a true 1940’s and 1950’s homemaker, who never had an outside job, but knew how to raise a family. Charlye always had a home-cooked meal on the table every night.

Charlye and Judy were best friends. Before she was homebound Charlye had to go with Judy, whether she wanted to or not.

We all cry when someone like Charlye dies, even when we know that Charlye is now safely resting in the arms of Jesus.

We don’t cry because we have a lack of faith; we cry because Charlye is not here. People we love like Charlye are a gift from God. He has deliberately given them to us temporarily to make our life more bearable on this Earth.

Our sorrow today is not for her; it is for us.

Charlye has gone home to be with the Lord and is already in his presence, enjoying Heaven, and our imagination is not good enough to imagine the joy and the riches that are there.

Charlye is alive and aware and eagerly anticipating the opportunity to meet with us and embrace us once more. We will see her again. We will recognize her, and she will recognize us.

1 Corinthians 13 gives a beautiful example of love. It describes Godly love as suffering long, displaying patience and endurance, even in the face of being loved imperfectly. Those verses described Charlye. She beared all things and endured all things and had more patience and love than anyone I had ever met.

Graveside service for family only.

~This was written/prepared by a grateful son-in-law.