Dr. Charlotte Anne Siemens, 64, died peacefully in North Newton, Kansas, under hospice care on May 31, 2024, surrounded by family.
Charlotte was born on January 29, 1960, to Richard and Frances Siemens. Although she would boast that her birthday was Kansas Day, Charlotte was actually born in Seattle, Washington. She grew up in Lyons, Kansas, with younger brother, Douglas Todd.
After graduating from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, Charlotte attended medical school at the University of Kansas, completing a residency in Wichita and a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin.
Charlotte began dating David Sprunger in 1978, and they were married by Rev. Marvin Zehr on June 25, 1988. The couple raised three children: Samuel Warren, Jacob William, and Anna Elizabeth.
Charlotte dedicated her career to working with children, young adults, and their families, practicing child and adolescent psychiatry in Fargo, North Dakota, for 28 years. When she retired from full-time practice, she was running a partial-hospitalization program for Sanford Medical Center where she also enjoyed working with medical students. She was proud to receive the James E. Mitchell, M.D., outstanding teacher award in 2019. In 2020, after Charlotte and David returned to Kansas, Charlotte worked part-time at Prairie View. Even as her health failed, she hoped to return to practice, so she could follow her patients’ progress.
Charlotte took great pleasure in cooking and baking, especially as a creative and social activity. In Fargo, she participated in a gourmet club with like-minded women who gathered monthly to prepare elaborate meals and enjoy each other’s company. Each summer she looked forward to using her garden produce to prepare gallons of salsa and Italian sauce. One year, she entered some of her salsas in the Cass County fair and emerged with a blue ribbon for tomato salsa and a Reserve Champion award for her peach salsa. As she and David designed their new house in North Newton, she made sure it featured a spacious kitchen, optimized for group cooking.
Charlotte felt a special connection to the natural world. She tried to walk daily, and her favorite indoor places were full of plants. Time spent hiking and fishing at the family cabin in southwest Colorado brought her particular joy. In Fargo, she participated in city xeriscape programs and one year even arranged for an adjusted work schedule in order to attend classes for certification as a master gardener. Family trips were not complete without visits to local botanical gardens. It is not surprising that she and David were married outdoors with Wichita’s Botanica in its early summer glory. In her final moments, she was covered with a quilt depicting irises and butterflies with a border of sunflowers, her favorite flower.
Charlotte was predeceased by her parents. She is survived by husband, David Sprunger (North Newton, Kansas); children Sam (Ellie) Sprunger (Maple Grove, Minnesota), Jacob (Alžběta Lutzká) Sprunger (Hustopeče, Czech Republic), Anna Sprunger (Middleton, Wisconsin); grandchild Harvey Sprunger; and brother Doug (Lu Ann Zook) Siemens (Newton, Kansas).
A memorial service will be held June 22, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Bethel College Mennonite Church, preceded by a private inurnment service. The memorial service will be live streamed.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Bethel College.