Charlotte S. Tarr

Charlotte Ann Holden Smallsreed Tarr, AKA "Momma Char," died peacefully in her sleep the evening of January 16, 2017 in Prescott, Arizona.  Born Sept. 5, 1919 in Shaker Heights, OH, Char attended Laurel School in Shaker Heights and Flora Stone Mather College of Case Western Reserve University where she met her first husband, Lee J. Smallsreed, Jr. in the university choir.  After their wedding, they moved to New Haven, CT where Lee attended Yale Seminary.  Following his service as an Army chaplain in WWII, they ministered to churches in Derby and Thomaston, CT (First Congregational Church of Thomaston).  It was during these years that two of their four children were born.  Although unpaid, with her outgoing personality and skills as an organist and soloist, Char made significant contributions throughout Lee's career.The family then moved to Lombard, Ill, (First Church of Lombard, United Church of Christ (UCC)) where their third and fourth children were born.  After successfully growing the church, Lee accepted a job in the Southern California Conference of the UCC and the family moved to Fullerton, CA.  After several years, Lee felt called to return to parish ministry. Scottsdale Congregational UCC was the result.  Char served as its first organist and choir director, a position she returned to several times.  When all her children reached school age, Char went back to school to learn shorthand.  She and third son, Mark, attended Scottsdale High School at the same time!  With her new skills, Char began her career as an executive secretary with Dickson Electronics.  She also taught private piano lessons. It was during the Scottsdale years that the family purchased and built, piece by piece, their beloved "Belly Acres" cabin.  Located in the Coconino National Forest atop the Mogollon Rim in Central Arizona, the cabin has become the family home.  Char relished every minute there, hosting friends, playing Canasta, doing jigsaw puzzles, reading and, of course, doing home improvement projects.  The work was never done at the cabin!But eventually, Lee was ready for a new challenge and became Minister of Stewardship of the New York Conference of the UCC.  Upon moving to Syracuse, NY, Char found new work at Agway, an agricultural cooperative, and became an active member of two churches, one UCC and one Presbyterian.Unfortunately, it was in Syracuse that Lee suffered a massive coronary and died.  Within a year, Char decided to move back to the West Coast to be closer to her children.  She settled in Claremont, CA, where daughter, Susan, was attending Pitzer College.  Char found work in the Religion Dept. of the Claremont Graduate School and began to re-build her life.  She volunteered for Read for the Blind and joined Claremont UCC where, several years later, again in the choir, Char met her second husband, Jack Tarr.  Jack was an electrician, an anthropologist, an aerospace engineer, a building inspector, a contractor, a beekeeper and eventually an attorney.  Just as she had assisted Lee, Char used her many skills to help Jack with his various interests. And with his construction skills, Jack helped Char with various cabin improvements. Jack also brought his two children, Sara and John into Char's life, subsequently adding several grandchildren to the family.Char and Jack decided on a change of scenery and made their first move to Prescott, AZ.  But with Jack's law practice in CA, they came back, this time to rural property in Fallbrook, CA, where Jack planted several citrus trees and kept two hives.  Everyone enjoyed the resulting honey!  Thirteen years later, they fully retired back to Prescott, first at Las Fuentes Resort Village and later to Victorian Estates in Prescott Valley.  Char and Jack joined First Congregational UCC of Prescott and attended Faith UCC in Dewey.  Char also volunteered for Yavapai Regional Medical Center, a position she held for 10 years.  Jack died in 2002 and after a few years on her own, Char, moved back to Las Fuentes where she happily spent the next 10 years making many good friends and participating in the book group and knitting club.  Finally, declining mental health led to a last move to Granite Gate Senior Living.  It was there, following an accident, that she died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family.Char is survived by her children, Lee III (Cheryl), Tim (Lucy), Mark and Susan (Tim Feliciano); her step-children John and Sara (Jonathan Smith); 10 grandchildren and numerous great and great-great grandchildren. She will be missed. 

Memorial at First Congregational UCC of Prescott, 2 PM, April 9, 2017. No Flowers. Donations to: One Great Hour of Sharing (http://www.ucc.org/oghs) or the charity of your choice.

The family has requested NO FLOWERS, please.  Thank you!!