IN MEMORIAM: Charlotte Georgeson;
Former 1st Lady Active In Civic Life
ONEONTA – Charlotte Lunn Georgeson, 89, named “Mrs. Oneonta” for her contributions to the community, died Monday, Sept. 12, 2016, at Focus Otsego in Cooperstown.
She was born July 13, 1927, the daughter of Dorothy Hanks and William H. Lunn, Sr. A 1944 graduate of OHS, Charlotte attended Connecticut College for Women in New London, and in 1949 earned a bachelor’s from Cornell. After a brief career in hotel management in Washington, D.C., she returned to Oneonta, where in 1951 she married James N. Georgeson, the future Oneonta mayor.
Throughout her life, Charlotte cherished the time she spent at her Goodyear Lake camp, the site of family gatherings since the 1920s. During their retirement years, Charlotte and James wintered in Green Valley, Ariz., where she swam, basked in the sunshine, and enjoyed the companionship of family and friends.
Among her interests were local and family history and politics. She was a founding member of the Oneonta Area League of Women Voters, served as local president from 1975-1977, and sat on the State Board of Directors as Area Organization Director for Central New York from 1978-1981.
Her active involvement in health care advocacy spanned 30 years. She held leadership positions on the Otsego County Health Planning Advisory Council, the Health Systems Agency of Northeastern New York, and Planned Parenthood of Otsego and Delaware Counties.
Charlotte served on the City of Oneonta Capital Budget and Planning Commission and the Oneonta Job Corps Center Community Relations Council. She also was an Indian Hills Girl Scout Council Field Vice President.
Charlotte’s dedication to improving local services was recognized by the SUNY Oneonta Faculty Association when she received its Community Service Award in 1984. In 2003 she and James were named Mr. and Mrs. Oneonta by the Future for Oneonta Foundation for their combined service to the community over many years.
Charlotte was predeceased by her husband, James Georgeson, and her brother, William H. Lunn, Jr. Her survivors include her brother Joseph S. Lunn, of Evans, Georgia; her sister-in-law Mary A. Benjamin of Oneonta; and her children: Rick Georgeson and his wife Anne Woulfe of East Berne, New York; Gail Georgeson and her husband Jeffrey Bisberg of Austin, Texas; Diane Georgeson and her friend Dan Maskin of Oneonta; David Georgeson of Maryland, New York; Christine Takores and her husband Lawrence of Wallingford, Connecticut.
She is also survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Alexander and Emma Bisberg; Sara and Patrick Jeffries; Sherry Georgeson, her partner Michael Hahn and their son Nicholas; Dylan and Lauren Takores; Erin Miller, her husband Sean and their son James; Diana Sakkos, her husband Theodoros and their children Zachary and Ares; and by nieces and nephews Gregory, Daniel, Susan, and William H. Lunn III, and Steven, Karen, James, Mark and Michael Benjamin.
A celebration of Charlotte’s life will be held at a later date. Condolences may be sent to the family at 2 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Lewis Hurley and Pietrobono Funeral Home.
