Charmaine Ann (Baumgartner) Vargo

Charmaine Ann (Baumgartner) Vargo, age 88, died peacefully on September 14, 2026, at 3:39pm, surrounded by her family. She was born on April 4,1938 to Robert and Betty (Vanyo) Baumgartner. A 1956 graduate of Morrison R. Waite high school, Charmaine married her high school sweetheart, Robert (Bob) Vargo, on September 15, 1956. Together, they raised three children within their strong and loving marriage until Bob’s passing on April 15, 1994. Charmaine held many jobs during her lifetime, including 18 years as a church secretary for Memorial United Church of Christ and Oakdale United Church of Christ, 10 years as a medical transcriptionist at Oregon Clinic with Drs. Chaudray, Mahajan and Bishara, 6 years as an office manager at ProMedica Toledo Hospital with Dr. Dagmar Stein, and 13 years as an office manager at Schneider Electric (where she retired at the age of 81).

Charmaine remained incredibly active well into her 80’s, continuing to bowl and golf (which she learned to do at age 70) and tending to her beautifully landscaped backyard. She was a people-lover who knew how to “work the room”, making instant friendships with everyone she met and bringing smiles to all who knew her. At her core, she was a fiercely “independent woman with attitude”.

She is survived by her children Laurie J. Luce, Holly Vargo-Brown (Breck) and Jeffrey Scott Vargo; her grandchildren Robert Adair, Taylor Brown, Jordan Brown, Grayson (Elisha) North, Chase (Maggie) Brown, Kasandra Hutchison, and Logan Vargo; 10 great grandchildren (plus two on the way); 2 great-great grandchildren; siblings Betsy Sendi, James Baumgartner, Janice (Karl) Knittel, sister-in-law Linda Baumgartner; many nieces and nephews and her god-daughter, Heidi Cook. Charmaine is also survived by her devoted partner, Rollie Bovia, with whom she found love, adventure and support in her second season of life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Betty Baumgarter, her husband Robert Vargo, her brother Rex Baumgartner, brother-in-law John Sendi, and her son-in-law Robert Luce.

Family and friends will be received at Freck Funeral Chapel, 1155 S. Wynn Road, Oregon, Ohio 43616, on Monday, September 21, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm, with the funeral beginning at 2:00 pm. A private burial will take place the next day at Lake Township Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that tributes be made to Northwest Ohio Hospice or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.