Charlotte “Boots” Flechsig, went to fly with angels on April 14, 2024, just 10 days before her 99th birthday.
Charlotte was born April 24, 1925 and acquired the lifelong nickname “Boots” due to the boots she wore all the time as a child strolling through the wet fields and high grass in her home town of Plymouth, MA. She was the oldest sibling of 3 brothers, and when her mother remarried she found herself the oldest of 6 and still the only girl.
Boots led an amazing life, knocking down barriers, setting up new standards in health care, paving the way for woman in the nursing industry and is a true modern day heroine. As a single mother, she completed training as a registered nurse at the Truesdale Hospital in 1946 where she became head nurse. In 1963 she joined Dr Kirkaldy’s office and he sponsored her and she eventually went on to complete her education at Mass General Hospital, in a Harvard Nursing School Program and became a Registered Nurse Practitioner in 1976.
Boots went on to create a home in Westport and co-founded a new spacious Westport Family Medical Center in 1977 after she completed her schooling. Boots was an inspiration for many as she was a pioneer and became the first female Nurse Practitioner in the New Bedford/Fall River area influencing generations all over New England, both personally and professionally. Boots has been honored multiple times over the years to include the Boston State House “Unsung Hero Award” and for “62 Years of Distinguished Service in Nursing” from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts District Attorney's Office.
Boots, who widowed twice, leaves behind her husband Vaughn whom she married in 1990. She had 3 children, Gail Chapin, Lori Shalhoub and Sharon Seed as well as 3 step children Marty Flechsig, Diane Raulino, and Gail Ledoux. She also leaves behind 18 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandson.
Boots was such an inspiration to many and she leaves behind a legacy that most can only dream to achieve.
Funeral service to which relatives and friends are invited will be Friday, April 19, 2024 at the Potter Funeral Home at 12:00 P.M.
Visitation will be Friday from 10:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M., prior to the service.
Interment in Beech Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation in her honor to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital at stjude.org or the American Nurses Foundation at nursingworld.org