SANTA FE — Joyce Charlene Ober, 83, passed from this life on June 25, 2021, at 7:40pm. She spent her last two days at the home of her son in Frisco, TX, surrounded by her family and grandchildren. Charlene, as she was known to most everyone, was born in Galveston on September 4, 1937. She was predeceased by her parents, Boyce Preston Franklin and Eda Marie Rygaard, husband Thomas H. Ober, infant daughter Jynell Myree Ober, and brothers Boyce Preston Franklin, Jr., and James Willis Franklin. She is survived by her sons, Kirk and wife Cheryl Ober of Minneapolis, MN; David and wife Hollie Ober of Frisco, TX; granddaughter Jenna Marie Ober; grandsons Collin Scott Ober, Evan Thomas Ober and Grant Nelson Franklin Ober; sister Patricia Smith of LaMarque; and numerous cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.

Charlene spent her early years in Galveston before moving with her family to LaMarque, where she grew up and graduated from LaMarque High School in 1955. She worked as a switchboard operator at Amoco where she met Thomas H. Ober, whom she married in 1961. Tom and Charlene had their two sons and lived in LaMarque until 1968, when they moved to Santa Fe where they remained for the next 40 years. Shortly after Tom’s passing in 2001, Charlene moved to Round Rock where she lived until her passing.

Charlene was a housewife until the mid 1970s when she began working at Santa Fe ISD. She also volunteered at the Galveston County Visitor Center and the Galveston 1894 Grand Opera House, where she loved ushering for such acts as Willie Nelson and Frank Sinatra. She enjoyed afternoons at Gulf Greyhound Track and weekend junkets to the Alabama Coushatta Casino.

A diehard sports fan, Charlene loved watching and going to Oilers, Rockets and Astros games. One of her biggest thrills in life was watching Jose Altuve throw the final out in the 2017 World Series. But her deepest sports devotion was for the Texas A&M Aggies, and she made many trips to Kyle Field to watch football games and watch her beloved Fighting Texas Aggie Band.

Friends and family will gather for a celebration of Charlene’s life on Tuesday, June 29, 5:30-7:30pm at James Crowder Funeral Home, 851 FM517 Rd. W., Dickinson, TX 77539. Services are 10am Wednesday also at Crowder, followed by burial at Galveston County Memorial Park in Hitchcock. A luncheon at Faith Lutheran Church at 800 FM 517 Rd. E. in Dickinson will follow. Pallbearers will be Collin Ober, Evan Ober, Grant Ober, Scott Martin, Brian Smith and Michael Smith. Gifts in Charlene’s memory may be made to the 1894 Grand Opera House at https://thegrand.com.