Charlotte Jean McEldowney, age 95, of Patagonia, Arizona, passed away on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. She was home with family. She is survived by her four children, Justin McEldowney, Chris McEldowney, Andy McEldowney, and Jennifer Jones, with their first and only spouses, Rachel, Barbara, Kerry, and Rick; 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Her husband, John, passed in June of 2020 after 65 years of marriage.
Born in December 1930, Charlotte grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin. She studied in Chicago to become an X-ray technician and moved to Tucson, Arizona, in 1954. She married John McEldowney in June of 1955, and studied part-time at the U of A while working as an X-ray tech. She had a side hustle of selling Avon to help support the family.
In Tucson, the family sport was swim team. Charlotte never missed a meet. Charlotte and John were active charter members of the Southern Arizona Hiking Club. Weekends and holidays were spent hiking and backpacking. Decades of backpacking, holidays, and happy hours included our friends the Metzgers, Ashbaughs and McMahons, plus many others, including their kids and grandkids.
As the kids got older, Charlotte worked in the school kitchens, including the Park Avenue cafeteria for the U of A, preparing to own and run her own restaurants. When John retired from teaching, Charlotte launched a small business career. She owned and ran The Back Room coffee shop and the Cafe Gazebo in downtown Tucson. This allowed her to support all four kids and their friends by providing work experience, food and study space after hours while everyone attended the U of A.
Holiday meals were generally large because we always invited our friends to join us at the table. She never complained about the kids bringing friends that would otherwise spend the holiday alone. One Thanksgiving dinner included three international friends and their parents.
Charlotte moved to Patagonia in 2003 and quickly joined the local quilting group. Her artistic passion was expressed in nearly 300 completed quilts. Nearly all of them were gifted to family, grandkids and local charities. She had award-winning quilts in the Tucson quilt shows.
Charlotte loved birding in our own yard and was active in the local bridge scene. While her favorite activities faded with her vision, her social scene never did. Friends and family visited so often she’d be exhausted by bedtime.
Charlotte led an incredibly full, positive, and inspirational life. A close friend wrote, “Your mom was such a joy to be around. I will miss her positivity and enthusiasm.” We all will.
A memorial for Charlotte will be held at the Patagonia Community Church in Patagonia, AZ, on April 2, 2026, at 11 am, followed by a meal at the family home in Patagonia. Instead of flowers, please consider a donation in Charlotte’s memory to the Santa Cruz County Humane Society or the Patagonia Youth Enrichment Center.