Cloudy, 44° F
Charlene (Charle) Paben, age 78, passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 30, 2025 after a long battle with dementia. She was surrounded by her family and close friends.
Charle was born to Ray and Marie (Anderson) Liner, on Sept. 22, 1946, in Powell, Wyoming. She was the second of seven children. Growing up in Powell she met her longtime friends Connie (Anderson) Leighton and Peggy (Knapp) Watson. After graduating in 1965 she began working at the Powell Library.
At the library she started as a page, then as the Adult Service librarian, and eventually she became the Powell Branch librarian. In 1978, she moved to Cody and became the Park County Library director until her retirement in 2000. In 2006, she followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a dispatcher for the Lovell Police Department until 2009.
In 1967, John Stearns and Charle were married. Together they had three children, Lisa, Rodney and Michael.
She married Jim Paben on July 11, 1987. Together they enjoyed the outdoors, hunting and fishing with family and friends.
Charle was an avid reader and could always be found with a book nearby. She was an avid gardener and extremely talented at painting and crafts and valued sharing those talents with friends and family.
Charle was fond of helping with fundraisers and various activities at the Eagle Lodge. She worked her way through all the chairs including being Past Worthy Madam President for her mother Marie. She was a member for 58 years and secretary for many of those. Her favorite events were the family dinners and Mother’s Day Tea.
In 2002, Charlie received the best joy and light of her life, her granddaughter Mackenzie Stearns. Together they did everything from growing the garden, canning, cooking, baking, drawing, painting or whatever else Kenzie wanted to do. In 2021, she became a great-grandmother which added even more joy and light in her life.
Charle was preceded in death by her husband Jim Paben; mother and father, Marie and Ray Liner; brothers, Harold Liner and Donald Liner; sister Lori (Liner) Smith; John Stearns; and son Rodney Stearns; nephews, Darren Liner and Doug Kirkham.
She is survived by brother Jim (Judy) Liner of Powell; sisters Linda (Ray) Adams of Powell, Sandi (Greg) Kincheloe of Cody; brother-in-law Mike Smith of Billings; daughter Lisa Stearns; son Michael (Jennifer) Stearns; stepson Clayton Paben; grandchildren, Mackenzie, David, and Alexia; and great-grandson Carson, along with numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Thompson Funeral Home in Powell, Wyoming.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Park County Library.
