Charlotte Zirpel Krumke, 94 of Tall Timbers, MD passed away on August 10, 2020 at St. Mary’s Nursing Center in Leonardtown, after an amazingly beautiful and long life and a short battle with Covid-19.
Charlotte was born on January 11, 1926 in Chevy Chase, Washington, D.C. to the late Irving Zirpel and Pauline (Johnson) Zirpel. Her family built a summer cottage on the Potomac River in Tall Timbers in the 30’s and she spent many idyllic hours there with family and friends. Charlotte attended Mt. Vernon Seminary School for Girls in Washington D.C., studied Art among other interests, and received an AA in Child Psychology.
It was while vacationing at the summer cottage that Charlotte met the love of her life, Warren Edward Krumke. They married on October 7, 1950 and spent 46 wonderful years together, until his death in April 1997. She stayed at home raising her children until they went off to school, and then became a cashier at Sheaffer’s (currently Chief’s), Tall Timbers Postmistress, a paraprofessional for second grade at Piney Point Elementary School for 20 years, and ended her working days at the Elephant’s Trunk gift shop with her very special friends Linda Hopkins and Michael Boston.
Charlotte was a member of St. George’s Episcopal Church for 70 years, was a Brownie and Girl Scout leader extraordinaire, and put on the best birthday parties that a daughter could ever hope for!! She was an avid reader when not out spending time with her husband on their boat on the water, fishing or just enjoying the serenity of the beautiful Potomac. Charlotte’s loves were her pets and her family – probably in that order! She had a heart as big as the universe and loved unconditionally.
She is survived by her daughters, Alleen Hawkins (Eddie) of Belton, S.C., and Melissa Kerr (Michael) of Leonardtown, MD; her grandchildren, Charles “Warren” Kerr (Heather) of Lusby, MD, Morgan Ann Manderfield (Evan) of Minneapolis, MN, Elizabeth House (Mitch) of Greenville, S.C., Ashley Hawkins of Greenville, S.C., and Karen Hawkins of Columbia, S.C. She has 5 great grandchildren, Riley House, Grant House, Mike Madden, Vera Kerr and Sonia Kerr whom she loved dearly and was immensely proud of. She was preceded in death by her parents, as well as her siblings Ellen Hearn, Paula Hoffman, and Irving Zirpel, Jr, and her beloved husband Warren Krumke.
Services are private at this time but a memorial will be held in the Summer when we can join together in a healthy manner to celebrate a life well lived.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. George’s Episcopal Church or the St. Mary’s County Humane Society.
Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.
