Charline Bliss Mote

February 16, 1935 - December 18, 2019

Charline Bliss Mote was born on February 16, 1935, and passed away on December 18, 2019, at her home in Provo, Utah. Charline is survived by her four daughters: Cara Lee (Pete) Haraden, Cyndy (Jim) Obray, Michele Mote, and Lisa (Scott) Jamison; 10 grandchildren: Diana (Aaron) Mildenstein, Maria Crandall Eldredge, David Haraden, Jessica (Cole) Newman, John Haraden, Kristi Jamison, Daniel (Chelsea) Obray, Elizabeth Obray, Amy Jamison, and Matthew Obray; 13 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. A memorial service in her honor will be held Thursday, December 26, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. in the church building on 4300 North Canyon Road, Provo, Utah. Due to allergies, the family has asked that in lieu of flowers, those who wish are encouraged to donate the money they would have spent to their favorite charity or LDS Humanitarian Aid. Charline was born during the "bottom of the Great Depression" to Venda and Charles Bliss in Great Falls, Montana. While Venda was in labor, the doctor and nurses left to eat and Charline, too impatient to await their return, was delivered by her Grandma, Clara Brown, who was, fortunately, an experienced midwife. Charline and her brother Lloyd (nicknamed Bud) helped their mom plant and tend a large vegetable garden in Great Falls and were allowed to sell the surplus garden corn. While she pulled the wagon, Bud collected 10 cents per dozen ears of corn, giving his little sister a "nice shiny penny" for each. He was a generous big brother and would trade her "big fat nickels" for those "skinny little dimes," thus teaching Charline "a healthy skepticism." When she was 6, Charline contracted rheumatic fever and was confined to bed. Her mother cared for her and taught her first grade. She wasn't allowed to have other children visit, so she entertained herself listening to the radio. While still recovering, she heard the news flash on the radio announcing that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. After that, the family moved to Tacoma, Washington, where both Charles and Venda worked in the shipyards building ships for use in WWII. In 1944, the family moved to Pocatello, Idaho, near Venda's family, and Charline's dad worked for the railroad. Two years later, Venda, Bud, and Charline returned to Great Falls. At the end of her 6th-grade year, they moved to Miles City, Montana, where she was able to spend time with her dad until he left the family. Her mom met and married Abner Castleberry a few months later. They ran a grocery store and lived in the small apartment behind it. After two years in Miles City, they moved to Rigby, Idaho. Early the next spring, Charline and her family moved to Cave Junction, Oregon, near Ab's parents. Charline loved the natural beauty around Cave Junction and made many friends among her classmates there. She worked as a movie cashier and usher, grocery store clerk, soda "jerk," cook's assistant, waitress, variety store clerk, and movie concessions cashier at various times between the ages of 13 and 17. Charline said: "During the last month of my sophomore year, I began making many good friends, including the boy I was to love the rest of high school (Jack Cooke)." Charline was co-chair of the Hospitality Club and was appointed to the mayor's council. She was an outstanding student and played the class play's lead role during her last two years of high school. As a member of the military during the Korean War, Jack proposed but was unable to marry Charline before being called away to serve his country. Charline's high school advisor thought she could get scholarships to college and suggested BYU. She had never considered going to college as she was the first person in her family to graduate from high school. Although she had never heard of BYU, she received a scholarship and set off for Provo, Utah. Originally her mom planned to make the 1,000-mile trip with her but had to cancel at the last minute. Fortunately, Charline met someone on the bus who had as long a string of tickets as she did and discovered they were both headed to BYU and could travel together. Charline loved BYU -- the challenge of the classes, the excitement of the social life, and the opportunity to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ and His church. That spring, Jack secured leave, and he and Charline met, and she returned his ring. In the summer, she returned to Oregon and attended church in Grants Pass, where she met Herbert Mote, who had just finished his first year at BYU. Although their schedules didn't mesh there, they met again at BYU and started dating. She says: "One Saturday afternoon, Herb asked me to marry him." They were married in the Idaho Falls temple on June 10, 1955. Cara Lee was born in September 1956 and Cyndy the next November. Herb got his bachelor's degree in social work then began on his master's degree, so the couple had little time together. Michele was born during this time and Lisa 17 months later, when the couple had moved to Salt Lake City. Charline loved being a mom and nurturing and teaching her children. She also continued cultivating her talents, taking her girls to many practices for the Relief Society Singing Mothers' Choir, as well as ward choir and plays. She enjoyed taking the girls to Liberty Park to feed the ducks, swim, swing, and slide. They also always read together. She had many callings in the church, often centered on teaching. After Herb left the family, Charline assured her daughters, "I will take care of you, and the Lord will take care of us." They moved to Provo, where Charline returned to BYU to earn a bachelor's degree in English. She graduated cum laude and got a teaching job at Bonneville Junior High School in Idaho Falls. It was a difficult time for her -- in her first winter of driving, Idaho Falls had record snows the first year and record cold the next. Often Charline and the older girls faced shoveling through 6-foot drifts of snow to get the car out of the driveway and head to school. Charline's first year of teaching, she co-taught a class of 65 13-year-olds with Lynn Buchman Hoopes. Charline's principal asked her to write a proposal for a Gifted and Talented Program in the school, and she won a grant and built a program that led to the first honors and AP classes in the junior high and high school. She sought students for the program who were talented in many areas, not just academics. She started before- and after-school classes in photography, history, and geology. Charline was a great supporter and cheerleader for her four daughters. She attended many ball games, speech tournaments, piano and dance recitals, concerts, plays, etc. Charline enjoyed spending time with her family, eating meals together, discussing ideas, and having fun. Even as adults, she continued to offer help and support when she was able. For example, Michele returned from her mission very ill, and Charline has provided for and cared for her tenderly since that time. All her family will significantly miss Charline, but we are grateful to know she is now with her loved ones who left this life before her.