Charlene Hope (Provost) Baxter, 75, of Worcester passed away peacefully Sunday August 14th at Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center after a long illness. Charlene was the beloved mother of Leah M. and Andrew J. Baxter both of Worcester, Mark F. Baxter of Putnam, CT and Michael A. Baxter and his wife, Diane of Chelmsford. She also leaves her brother, Eugene E. Provost of Amarillo, TX. She was the loving grandmother of India, Matthew, Jennifer, Michael, Mitchell, Daniel and Kevin and the great-grandmother of Yozlyn. Charlene remained good friends with her former husband, Gerald F. Baxter. She also leaves Charlie Cook, who called her "Mom" and considered him a son. She was predeceased by her sister, Gloria F. McCarthy and two brothers, Bruce C. "Duke" Provost and Terence F. Provost.
She was born in Holden, the daughter of Eugene O. and Maizie L. (Tucker) Provost and lived all of her life in Worcester. Following a number of unsatisfying jobs, she trained to be a Nurse's Aide, first working at Memorial Hospital and then worked for 25 years as a Home Health Aide for the Visiting Nurse Association in Worcester, retiring in 2003. She will be remembered as an empathetic, caring and loving aide to the very old and younger patients she cared for.
The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the staff and nurses at Beaumont for their care and support provided to her and her family over the past few years.
Her funeral is Friday, August 19th at 10:00 a.m in O'CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue. Burial services will be private. Calling hours are Thursday, August 18th from 4:00 until 7:00 PM in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers please make memorial donations to the Salvation Army, an organization for which Charlene held fond memories for the aid provided to her family when she was a young girl.