CHARLENE LEVESQUE, who served Portland State as an events coordinator and RAPS as an active and invaluable member, died March 15 at age 86. Ms. Levesque was born on January 5, 1936, in Chicago. As a child she developed a great interest in art and design, and after graduating from high school, she attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Wilson Junior College (now KennedyKing College), and Chicago Teachers College (now Chicago State University). In the 1960s she moved to San Francisco, where she shared an apartment with friends and became involved in social change movements. While visiting Southern California, she met her future husband, Ron Levesque. The couple lived in Huntington Beach, California, and adopted their son, Shawn. The family later moved to Eugene, where Ms. Levesque became a community volunteer, participated in 4-H, and served as a community coordinator. Another move brought her to Portland, where in 1994 she was hired as a scheduling officer and campus events coordinator at Portland State. Ms. Levesque brought her organizational skills and her love of art and design to her new job. She forged partnerships with patrons of the arts to bring exciting artwork to In memoriam: Charlene Hoffman Levesque, 1936-2022 campus, including The Veil, which is installed in the Cascade Room. The Walk of the Heroines was another project in which she became involved, helping to obtain funding and siting for the innovative Portland State park that gives artistic recognition to the vital contributions of women. Ms. Levesque’s name is among those on the curved walls of The Walk. She also initiated “The Women’s Circle,” which connected women in PSU staff positions, enabling them to exchange information and develop ways to collaborate. After retirement, Ms. Levesque remained engaged on campus and in the community. She was an active participant in RAPS, serving on the board and on the program committee, where she used her skills to coordinate major events. In 2012, she was honored with the RAPS Award for Outstanding Service at the President’s Annual Luncheon for Staff and Faculty. Her community involvement included serving on the Metropolitan Community Church Board, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration Committee, and the African American Visual Arts Committee. Ms. Levesque’s university and community work was recognized by former U.S. Representative David Wu and former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber. She is survived by her son, Shawn; her daughter-in-law, Michelle; her grandson, Brandon; and many cousins. Some families gift flowers, others gift chocolates. Please celebrate and honor your mother with a gift that will honor another important person—a student at Portland State University. Your mother was ingrained with a love of learning and a desire to excel. Your gift to the RAPS Scholarship Fund and the gift of education are ones that keep giving, and no one is more aware of that than you, the gracious donor who contributes to our Mother’s Day Scholarship Appeal. Many of the students seeking your help are first-generation Americans and often the first in their families to attend college. Many are older women returning to the workplace. You are someone who is committed to changing the future for these promising students. Thank you, and Happy Mother’s Day. Please make your check payable to the Portland State University Foundation. On the memo line write RAPS Scholarship Fund. You may mail it to RAPS, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland Oregon, 97207-0751. mother’s day appeal RAPS SCHOLARSHIP FUND 5 THE RAPS SHEET MAY 2022
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