Charlotte Elizabeth Baier

Charlotte Elizabeth Baier, age 84, passed away peacefully on December 16, 2023, with her daughter at her bedside.

She is survived by her daughter, Sarah (Jai) Kalsy, and granddaughters Aubrey and Auden Kalsy; nieces Maureen (Ben) Snodgrass, Kathy (Jeff) Holte, Erin Gilbertson, and Charlotte (Bob) Stauffer; great-nephews Dave (Keely) Deters, Jordan (Cheyenne) Deters, and Jesse (Rachel) Gilbertson; and her great-niece Lauren Stauffer.

Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on June 12, 1939, to Charlotte “Lottie” (Burns) and George Farrell, she lived a life characterized by loving kindness, an ethic of service and selflessness, and unparalleled sense of humor. She lit up every room she entered with her smile.

She attended Holy Trinity Elementary and Aquinas High Schools prior to graduating from the St. Francis School of Nursing in 1960. In 1964, she entered the Peace Corps to aid the sick and train nurses in Brazil. She worked 42 years as a nurse, including leadership roles in the Department of Surgery and Emergency Medical and Trauma Center at Franciscan Skemp.

She was grateful for meaningful work in a place where she felt she belonged. She was a well-respected and cherished colleague, beloved family member, as well as loyal friend to many. Everyone felt seen in her presence. Following her 2002 retirement, she enjoyed international travel with friends and relished being a grandma (“Yaya”).

She is preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Mary Farrell; and loyal brother, Thomas Farrell; as well as her former husband, and Sarah’s father, Randy Baier.

It was a long goodbye. We grieved in slow motion as dementia made the Char we knew harder to reach, but find comfort in knowing she is now at peace. Her spirit will live on in the hearts of those who loved her. Hope springs eternal, as does the love that remains.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 10:30 AM at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Friends may call at the church on Thursday from 9:30 AM until the time of services.