Memorial
Charlotte Anne Cleavenger, D.O., 74, of Cedar Rapids died on January 2, 2026 at Mercy Hospital of Cedar Rapids. A memorial service is being planned for spring 2026 in Ames, Iowa.
A woman of keen intellect and generous spirit, Charlotte was a gifted physician. Once grandchildren entered her life, she delighted in Clark, Felix, Lydia, and Sophia. Charlotte would fondly say that she was best at being a grandma. Her grandchildren often described her as their “favorite person in the whole world.”
Charlotte was born on August 1,1951 to Kenneth D. and Mary Lorraine (Hester) Cleavenger in Des Moines. As a child, her favorite memories were those made at the family farm near Ollie, Iowa. She was a graduate of Hoover High School, Iowa State University, and Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
She married the love of her life, Don C. Gauger, on June 18, 1977. They were married until his sudden death on April 15, 2005. Their union was blessed with three children, Benjamin, Elizabeth, and Amelia. The family lived for many years on an acreage near Ames. They loved trips to national parks and museums, and Charlotte always insisted on stopping at every historical marker! She also loved gardening and was an Iowa Master Gardener.
Dr. Cleavenger practiced family medicine at McFarland Clinic in Ames, before joining Iowa State’s Thielen Student Health Center. After practicing medicine for 30 years, she retired in 2006. She was a gifted diagnostician and exceptionally caring physician with impeccable bedside manner. She was the first woman to chair the Iowa Board of Medical Examiners. In 1994, Charlotte was honored by the Board for her service with a brick at the Iowa State University Alumni Association’s Plaza of Heroines.
She relocated to Cedar Rapids in 2020 and was active in the local literary and astronomy clubs. She delighted in nature and was a member of the Indian Creek Nature Center. Always generous, she made many anonymous gifts to charities.
Charlotte is survived by her children, Benjamin Gauger of Iowa City, Elizabeth Gauger (Cory Jensen) of Cedar Rapids, Amelia Fierro-Fine (Gabe) of St. Cloud, MN; her beloved grandchildren, Clark and Felix Fierro-Fine of St. Cloud, MN and Lydia and Sophia Jensen of Cedar Rapids; her brothers Richard (Kathy) of Idaho, and John (Gina) of Des Moines; sisters-in-law Jan Richards of San Jose, CA, and Jean Gauger (Hiram Rogers) of Knoxville, TN; six nieces and nephews, Matthew and Daniel Cleavenger, Mary Perez (Jason), Anne Elkins (Brett), and Anne and Matt Richards.
Charlotte was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Don, her brother-in-law, Gary Richards, and her sister-in-law, Barbara Gauger.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be directed to Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences, where a scholarship will be endowed in her name or to Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids. Please reference Charlotte A. Cleavenger.