Scharlene Crousore, 78, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at Our House Senior Living in Austin.

Scharlene Ann Crousore was born on May 15, 1939, at home in Blue Earth, Minnesota, the daughter of Chris Earl and Oma Mae (King) Crousore. Scharlene graduated with honors from Austin High School in the class of 1957.  She worked at Sterling Beauty Shop in Austin and earned degrees in data processing (now called computer programming) and cosmetology from Austin’s Riverland Community College in 1975.

With her degree, she accepted a job at the (then-known) Sibley County Welfare office in March 1976, fully-transitioning it to computer-based. Scharlene gave 23 years to that office, retiring April 20, 1999. Scharlene watched her mother, Oma Mae, battle Alzheimer’s Disease from 1990-97. The same disease victimized her for the last seven years of her life.

Throughout her life she loved her many, many Dobermans, reading, watching and attending auto racing and hockey, and, from the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and Kenny Chesney, to her number one love, Pink Floyd, especially David Gilmour’s solo career, Scharlene loved music. She was a lifelong member of the beautiful Lansing United Methodist Church. Her retirement years saw her volunteering for local charitable organizations and she was a devout advocate for the end of the Alzheimer’s curse.

She is survived by her sister, Deanna Rae (Crousore) Weiss, 72, of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota; son, Bryce Earl Crousore, 51, of Lansing, Minnesota; and nephew, Brian Weiss, 49, of Hobart, Indiana. She was preceded in death by her father, Chris Earl Crousore (Dec. 24, 1914 – Sept. 10, 2001); nephew (and United States Air Force hero), Bruce Weiss (Dec. 24, 1964 – Jan. 23, 1997), son of Deanna and Andrew Weiss: and mother Oma Mae (King) Crousore (April 18, 1914 – May 29, 1997).

No cards or flowers; instead she would request anything you could do to help end this Alzheimer’s nightmare. Mama: “This is not how I am; I have become comfortably numb. Goodbye cruel world.” Charity rating four of four stars: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, Seventh Floor, New York, NY 10001, telephone: (866) 232-8484, fax:(646) 638-1546. www.alzfdn.org.

Worlein Funeral Home is assisting the family with funeral arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.