AUGUSTA – Louise Charlotte Seehagen Eastman, 101, long-time resident of Vassalboro, died peacefully in Augusta, on Jan. 28, 2020. She was born August 9, 1918, to Ernst Richard Seehagen and Magdalene Marie (Lange) Seehagen in Boston, Mass. According to German custom, she was called by her middle name, Charlotte, and, in her younger years, “Lotte.”The family moved to Maine around 1920, and lived in Bangor, Gardiner, Waterville, and Augusta. Charlotte attended schools in Augusta and Waterville; she graduated from Cony High School in the class of 1936. She worked for attorney Robert A. Cony, at Stewart and Williams, Inc., and in later years at T.W. Dick Co., as secretary and bookkeeper. She married Albert C. Eastman on May 20, 1950, at the Winthrop Street Universalist Church in Augusta, where she was a member and had taught Sunday School since her high-school years. Moving to Vassalboro later that year, Charlotte and Albert joined the Riverside Congregational Church. The Vassalboro Historical Society presented Charlotte S. Eastman with the Boston Post Cane in August 2016, designating her as the town’s oldest resident.Throughout her long life, Charlotte exemplified generosity, diligence, patience, gratitude, curiosity, undaunted fortitude, and resilience. She especially appreciated the Japanese variation of the 23rd Psalm that includes the line, “My cup of joyous energy overflows. Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruit of my hours.” She asked that this reading be included in her Memorial Service along with a poem titled, “Drinking from my Saucer” with the refrain, “I’m drinking from my saucer ‘cause my cup has overflowed.” Over the years, Charlotte supported many organizations as a member and contributor. She served in many capacities in the following: the Y Business Girls Club, Augusta Players, Abnaki Ski and Outing Club, Augusta Business and Professional Women’s Club, Church Women United, Maine General Medical Center Auxiliary, Riverside Study Club, the Women’s Fellowship of Riverside Congregational Church, the Augusta China Decorators’ Club, the Red Hat Society, and a Shorthand Club. Charlotte was a charter member of the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction; until age 83, she worked as the Executive Director of their annual trade show held at the Augusta Civic Center, Construction Expo. Charlotte played the concert bells and glockenspiel in the Hallowell Community Band for over 20 years, participating in local parades, and weekly summer concerts on the Library lawn in Boothbay Harbor. Volunteerism was a great part of Charlotte’s life. During World War II she was a Gray Lady for the American Red Cross, serving at the Augusta Mental Hospital and the Veterans’ Hospital at Togus. She served the Kennebec Girl Scout Council as a leader of Brownie, Junior, and Cadette Girl Scout troops, and acted as a consultant to other troops. For over 28 years Charlotte served as organist at the Riverside Congregational Church. For many years she managed the MaineGeneral Medical Center Auxiliary Gift Shop. She served on the Board of Directors of Riverview Federal Credit Union.Her interests included classical music, reading, cross country skiing, camping, sewing, china painting, and learning the German language. She took numerous self-improvement courses at Augusta Adult Education, University of Maine at Augusta, and Colby College. With her 1948 Singer Featherweight sewing machine, Charlotte sewed a car top for her future husband’s 1935 convertible, and later used the same machine to sew sleeping bags for her family with heavy cotton flannel from the Bate’s Mill. Over the years she sewed all her children’s clothes– winter coats, bathing suits, and formal gowns—as well as many toys, including stocking monkeys, “chubby chums”, clowns, Raggedy Ann, and countless doll outfits. Charlotte was an excellent cook. At Christmastime she always made several kinds of fudge, needhams, Stollen, Lebkuchen, and several kinds of cookies. While camping, she cooked over the open campfire, serving up foil dinners, campfire stew, doughboys, and other Girl Scout favorites.In retirement, she and her husband traveled in their camper across the country, visiting all three daughters and the Rocky Mountains. In her 80s, when Albert had developed Alzheimer’s Disease, she became a fulltime family caregiver, and participated in several Alzheimer’s Association Fundraisers. Also, in her 80s, Charlotte traveled to Germany twice to research the genealogy of her parents’ families. In her 90s she staffed the “bread station” at the Vassalboro Food Pantry for many years and played German Scrabble with a group of friends at Barnes and Noble each week. She is survived by her three daughters, Marie Amelia Eastman and partner John R. Ham-Ying, Martha Anne Eastman and partner Victoria A. Kane, and Margaret Adele Eastman. Charlotte was predeceased by her parents; her husband of 53 years, Albert C. Eastman, brother, George W. Seehagen, and sisters, Hildegard G. Seehagen Stuart and Dorothy M. Seehagen Martin; as well numerous nieces, nephews, and beloved grandcats. A memorial service will be planned for Spring, 2020.Those interested are encouraged to send donations in Charlotte’s honor to the American Lung Association, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Girl Scouts of Maine, or the Vassalboro Food Pantry

Comments are not available on this story.