Charlie Waller was born in East Lansing, Michigan on June 15, 2008, to his parents, John and Abigail. In April, 2011, an MRI scan revealed that Charlie had a rare, inoperable and almost always terminal brain stem cancer.
After weeks of radiation and steroid treatment, Charlie blossomed into a beautifully loving, thoughtful and generous boy. He will always be remembered for how naturally the simple virtues of kindness and empathy came to him. His deep desire to connect and his mature understanding of the needs of others made him into the most wonderful son and a keenly loyal friend. Charlie’s many friends, adults and children, loved him for his emphatic shows of affection, for his delight in telling outrageously silly stories about pirates, zombies, and zombie-pirates, and for numerous acts of quiet kindness. Charlie’s desire to connect also extended to every species of animal, from mosquitos to dogs.
For Charlie, love often trumped honesty. As the tumor advanced and Charlie lost the sight in his right eye, he hid the truth from his parents, because “Mum and Dad worry.” With considerable pride and courage he spent two years as a preschooler at Pinecrest Elementary in East Lansing and then two months as a kindergartner at Marble Elementary. When his loss of hair, a side effect of his cancer treatment, became too obvious to hide, his Marble classmates and the school united in support and Wednesdays became hat day for all.
His decline accelerated. On Thursday, December 5, asleep in his parents’ arms, Charlie peacefully ceased to breathe. He is survived by his parents, John and Abigail, his sister Esther, and his grandparents, Mike and Sue Waller and Richard and Penny Graham-Yooll, as well as by cousins in England, other family, and many dear friends.
Charlie’s legacy is the memory of a boy who exemplified a simple and exuberant kindness. He will also be remembered as the inspiration for a foundation, Art for Charlie, that raises funds to support pediatric hospice services and parents who have lost a child. It is a fitting memorial to him.
A memorial service for Charlie will be held at 4:00 PM on Thursday, December 19, at the Peoples Church, 200 W. Grand River Avenue in East Lansing. Pictures of Charlie, his family and friends will be on display in an adjoining room of the church before and after the service. We will be celebrating both his life and the power of a community that rallied around him and his family. Family will receive friends from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the church. Parents, please feel free to bring your children. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to Art for Charlie at artforcharlie.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may also be made to The Peoples Church in memory of Charlie Waller. Gifts may be made online at ThePeoplesChurch.com, or mailed to The Peoples Church, 200 W. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823. Please make checks payable to The Peoples Church and indicate "For the Waller family" in the memo line. To share memories and condolences, please see http://charliewaller.muchloved.com.
The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Lansing Chapel. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.greastlansing.com
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