PRESQUE ISLE and Florida Mrs. Charlene Wilhelmina Peterson Sandstrom McIntire, 90, went home to be with her Lord, Saturday evening, Nov. 24, 2007. She was born, Aug. 6, 1917, in New Sweden, the daughter of Carl and Alma E. (Johnson) Peterson. She attended the New Sweden school system and later she attended a Boston business school, completing many courses of study there. She worked for 32 years at Sears and Roebuck department store in Presque Isle, as an interior decorating consultant, as well as serving in many other departments. She also enjoyed traveling, camping and canoeing, having made the Allagash canoeing trip 10 times. She was a member of State Street Baptist Church, Presque Isle. She and Smith ministered to many of the Senior Citizen/Nursing Home groups, as she accompanied them on the piano or accordion as they sang Christian hymns together. She was a featured singer in area churches and Midsommar Fest, New Sweden. Singing songs in English and Swedish, she was part of the group that recorded the tape entitled, “The Swedish Colony Hometown Singers – 125th Anniversary Favorites.” She was also an active member of the New Sweden Historical Society. On her honeymoon trip to Stockholm, Sweden, in 1967, she was told that she spoke better Swedish than many of the native Swedes. She and Smith maintained an active interest in the University of Maine at Orono and Presque Isle, as well as Baptist Seminary, Denver. Charlene will be remembered by friends and relatives for her humor, frankness, patience, loyalty, love and complete faith, and trust in God, her family and friends. She was deeply loved and respected by all who knew her. She is survived by her only child, Duane Sandstrom of Florida; a stepdaughter, Nancy L. Todd and her husband, Raymond, of Caribou; a brother, George Peterson of Redlands, Calif.; many grandchildren and stepgrandchildren. She was predeceased by her first husband, Harold A. Sandstrom; and Smith McIntire, her beloved husband of 38 years; four brothers, Edwin, Verner, Oscar and Raymond Peterson; and one sister, Adelia Densmore. Funeral services will be conducted 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at Lancaster-Morgan Funeral Home, 11 Clover St., Caribou, with the Rev. Kevin Kierstead officiating. Friends and relatives may call noon until time of service. Interment will be take place at New Sweden Cemetery at a later date. Those who wish can donate in her memory to the Charlene and Smith C. McIntire Scholarship Fund, at the University of Maine, Presque Isle, or to Denver Baptist Seminary, P.O. Box 100000, Denver, CO 80250-0100. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.lancastermorgan.com.
CHARLENE WILHELMINA MCINTIRE
