A viewing will be held on Wednesday evening, August 31, 2016 from 5 to 8 pm at the Robert E. Evans Funeral Home, 16000 Annapolis Road, Bowie, MD 20715(www.dignitymemorial.com/robert-e-evans-funeral-home; (301) 464-8836). There will also be a time for viewing from 9:30 to 11:00 am prior to her home going service at Riverdale Baptist Church.
Charlotte’s heavenly home going service will be held on Thursday morning, September 1, 2016, at 11:00 am at Riverdale Baptist Church, 1177 Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 (www.riverdaleministries.org; (301) 249-7001). A reception, with light refreshments, will follow the service in the Riverdale Baptist Church Carriage House.
In lieu of flowers, Charlotte expressed her desire for donations to the Gideons International, for the distribution of Bibles world-wide, (www.gideons.org), and Gospelink, for the sponsoring of preachers internationally (www.gospelink.org). Donations will be received during the viewing time, or may be made directly to the charities.
With temporal sadness, but heavenly joy, Charlotte M. McLeod is now in the presence of her Lord and Saviour. On Saturday night, August 20, 2016, Charlotte had a massive stroke and was transported to Georgetown University Hospital, where a second stroke occurred. Early Wednesday morning, August 24, 2016, Charlotte passed away.
Charlotte was born on July 3, 1944, in Ipswich, Massachusetts, the eldest daughter of Charles and Ruth Leet, and sister to Sandra and Toni. While in junior high, she attended Daily Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church of Ipswich, Massachusetts. This is where she heard, for the first time, that Jesus had died on the cross for her sin, had forgiven her, and wanted her to be His Child. Charlotte asked Jesus into her life and from that day forward, firmly believed that the Holy Spirit dwelled within her (John 3:16-18).
After high school, Charlotte found herself working as a bookkeeper for the Gordon College bookstore in Wenham, Massachusetts, where she met Martin, a college student at the time. His relationship and love for the Lord is what immediately attracted her to him. After dating for two years, Charlotte while walking an ocean beach in New Hampshire, asked Martin to marry her. On July 6, 1968, they were married at the First Baptist Church of Rowley, Massachusetts. The inside of each of their wedding bands read, “ONE IN CHRIST 7-6-68.”
Dedicated to morning Bible reading an hour a day, Charlotte began each day with her Lord. Regardless of physical circumstances, she remained unmoved in her understanding that God blessed her and provided for all of her needs, and so much more. Her greatest blessings were her husband, her children, their spouses and her 14 grandchildren. Charlotte and Martin regularly visit each set of grandkids, traveling from Massachusetts, to Pennsylvania, to Maryland, to South Carolina, and back again. Charlotte had no greater joy than to hear that her children walked in the Truth (III John 4).
Charlotte believed that each Child of God is given spiritual gifts. Although she did not recognize it initially as her spiritual gift, she began teaching pre-schoolers at the age of seventeen, teaching four-year olds in Sunday School. As the years passed, she was involved in teaching 3’s, 4’s and 5 year-old Sunday Schools in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maryland. Although not having a college education, God gave her great mentors and a special love and concern for this age group. Charlotte was later asked to substitute teach from time to time at Tabernacle Christian School in New Hampshire, and at Riverdale Baptist School in Maryland.
At the age of fifty, Charlotte was asked to teach kindergarten full-time at Riverdale Baptist School. God had spent years preparing her. For the next 10 years, Charlotte taught kindergarten children. She clearly knew, demonstrated and shared her love of Christ to all of her children. Formally “retiring” in 2004, Charlotte was frequently approached by teenagers and, more recently, adults, identifying themselves as her children - her kindergarten children. After retirement, Charlotte, with her husband Martin, enjoyed taking ocean cruises, and had the privilege of seeing God’s nature in Bermuda, Alaska, the Panama Canal, the New England coast, the Caribbean, and Australia and New Zealand.
Charlotte’s parents, Charles and Ruth Leet, and her sister, Toni, predeceased her. Charlotte is survived by her sister, Sandra Coates and husband, Robert, of Byfield, Massachusetts; her loving husband of 48 years, Martin; and her children and their families: Robert, her son, and Roberta McLeod of Westminster, Massachusetts, and their three children, Patrick, Ian and Emma; Philip, her son, and Sophia McLeod of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and their three children, Isaiah, Simeon and Gabrielle; Peter, her son, and Bonnie McLeod of Gambrills, Maryland, and their three children, Skyelar, Heather and Cuillin; and Rebekah Robinson, her “adopted” daughter, and husband Greg of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and their five children, Jachin, Josiah, Havyn, Hudson and Leilani.
One of Charlotte’s often repeated quotes was, “The true Life is in the journey, not the destination. Each step of the journey is significant to God.” Charlotte made each of her “steps” in her Life journey a demonstration of God’s love to others in her own, unique way - through her Godly character, her patient but stern discipline, her dry sarcasm, her giving spirit, her laugh, her open and direct conversation, and her love for all. Charlotte is now at her “destination” wrapped in the loving arms of God.
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