Charlotte Shoemaker died Thursday, December 1, 2011 at Champaign County Nursing Home of the infirmities of old age. Born Laura Charlotte Guffey on December 24, 1920, near Rock Grove, Illinois, she was taken to the Cunningham Children's Home in Urbana by her father, Xenophon Blaine Guffey after the death of her mother, Pearl (nee Guffey), in 1922. She took the name Charlotte Dillavou after becoming the foster child of Professor Essel and Vivian Dillavou of Urbana. After graduating from Urbana High School and attending the University of Illinois for 1 year, she married Robert O. Shoemaker of Champaign in 1941. They were married for 59 years until Robert's death in October of 2000. During those years, in addition to raising a family, she worked for Headstart, Fannie Mae Candies, provided childcare in her home, housed and fed graduate students, and worked at the catalog department of the University of Illinois Library. Char was a member of North Side Gospel Center and later Faith Baptist Church, Champaign. She sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and played the piano. For over 40 years she & Bob provided worship services for local nursing homes. When ill health made it necessary, Char chose care at Champaign County Nursing Home. The family wishes to express thanks for the many kindnesses of the staff there over the last six years. She is survived by her four sons, Steven (Nadja) of Urbana, David (Monica) of Fox Lake, IL, Joel (Becky Kobos) of Iowa City and James (Mary Nielsen) of Saint Louis, ten grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. In accordance with her wishes, burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery, Cunningham Avenue, Urbana, at 3:30 p.m., Friday, December 2, 2011. Friends are invited to greet the family there. Memorials may be made to the Champaign County Nursing Home, Urbana, Illinois. Condolences may be offered at www.renner-wikoffchapel.com