Charmaine S. Whitehead

Charmaine Sherry Whitehead was born of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bailey on May 27, 1933. She was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was the oldest with one sister, Connie, and her baby brother Charles. Charmaine was raised with strong family values with a Catholic influence. As a result of that Catholic influence, Charmaine at one point considered becoming a Nunn.

With Charmaine’s spiritual growth and advancement in her education that were both heavily influenced by Catholicism, she eventually decided to become a Nunn was not for her. Entering into her college years, with an angelic first soprano voice, she was awarded a “full music”
scholarship to attend Knoxville College in Knoxville, Tennessee.

At Knoxville College, she was an excellent, classically trained first Soprano! While training, majoring in music, and participating in the well-known Knoxville College choir as the lead first soprano, she met her husband, James B. Whitehead Jr., who also sang in the Knoxville College choir.

James and Charmaine graduated from Knoxville College together and, very soon after, married in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Soon after they were married, Charmaine became pregnant and was delightfully surprised, at the time of delivery, that she had given birth to a set of “identical twin” girls: Katrina Lynne Whitehead and Monique Lynne Whitehead, who were born four minutes apart. Two years later, they were blessed again and gave birth to a strapping beautiful baby boy: Keith Cori Whitehead.

As time progressed, Charmaine and James moved from Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois, and settled in Detroit, Michigan, in University District with their three children. Charmaine continued to teach music in the Warren and Detroit School Systems while serving as Director of the church youth choir at her church. In her spare time, before and after retirement to Southfield, Michigan, by invitation only, she blessed others with her voice by singing at churches, weddings, funerals, private and public events in Michigan and Canada. Charmaine and James eventually divorce, and James passed Spring 2007.

Charmaine is survived by her three children, Katrina Lynne (Whitehead) Powell, Monique Lynne Whitehead, Keith Cori Whitehead, her brother Charles Bailey, and five grandchildren: Blaise Woods, Amyra Woods, Chiara Woods, Monica Charmaine Powell and Tyler Alexander Shaw, one great-grandson, Syre Alexander Shaw, (that is due to arrive next month) and many friends who loved and cared for her.

With grace and poise, Charmaine was admired and loved by all and will be missed. May Charmaine Rest In Peace!