Charlene Annette Thomas

April 1, 1973 – December 1, 2025

Charlene Annette Thomas passed away peacefully on December 1, 2025. Born on April 1, 1973, in Hartford, Connecticut, she grew up surrounded by family and the familiar pace of a city she came to know deeply. Hartford remained the setting of her life’s story, a place where she built relationships, created memories, and held onto the independence she valued so much.

Charlene lived with significant health challenges from a young age, yet those who knew her saw these events not as limitations but as remarkable endurance. She was a proud graduate of St. Justin’s School and Hartford High School’s class of 1990. Her resilience showed in her determination to remain committed to her routines, her relationships, and her hopes for herself. She carried a quiet strength that shaped the way she moved through the world.

Her faith provided another layer of grounding. Baptized at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, where her maternal grandmother, Helen Richards, was a longstanding and devoted member, Charlene leaned on her spirituality throughout both difficult and joyful seasons. Her faith offered her reassurance, comfort, and a steady source of inner peace.

Her Jamaican heritage was a meaningful part of her identity. Charlene cherished the trips she made to visit family in Jamaica, returning from each visit with renewed warmth and connection. Whenever her health allowed, she enjoyed traveling more broadly as well, approaching new places with curiosity and openness.

Charlene valued her community and the people who surrounded her. In her earlier years, she took part in volunteer efforts, including events with Easter Seals, believing in the importance of contributing when she could. She was especially proud of residing on Vine Street in Hartford for many years. For her, being there reflected her independence, determination, and love for a city she called home. 

Creativity was one of Charlene’s gifts. She was an avid writer with intricate, beautiful penmanship, filling pages with thoughts, reflections, and observations. Music brought her equal joy; Stevie Wonder and Denise Williams were her favorite artists, and she sang their songs with a full heart and a voice that filled any room with life.

Above all else, Charlene loved her family. Time with her nieces and nephews brought her the greatest happiness, and she embraced her role as aunt with deep affection. Her sweet tooth, bright laughter, beautiful smile, and unforgettable wild hair are memories her loved ones will carry with them as signatures of her warmth and spirit.

Charlene leaves behind her loving mother, Adessa Thomas, her father, Charles Henry Thomas, and her stepfather, Miguel F. King Jr. She is also survived by her devoted sisters, Helena Richards and Michelle King, as well as her cherished nieces and nephews, Kaitlyn Jones, Ted’Leah Simpson, Tiyana Simpson, Jibron King, Teddy Simpson, Robert Crocker, and her great-nieces and nephews, Jason Christie, Jassyi Christie, and Koby Simpson. She will be remembered lovingly by many other family members and friends throughout Hartford who were touched by her life. The family is especially grateful for her state conservator, Christine Baker, whose advocacy and care ensured that Charlene had everything she needed to pass on with peace and dignity.

The family further extends its sincere appreciation to the staff of Greentree Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and Lawrence Memorial Hospital for their compassionate care and dedicated attention throughout Charlene’s stay at both facilities.

Charlene will be remembered for her resilience, her tenderness, and the light she brought into the lives of all who knew and loved her.