Charlene Ellen Tortorice

Charlene E. Tortorice died of heart failure on May 13, 2026. The cause of her death is ironic because Char had one of the most powerful hearts ever.

She was born in Madison on August 6, 1950, to Norma and Donald F. Hayne.  Her father attended graduate school on the G.I. Bill after serving in World War II. She spent her earliest years living in temporary housing for Vets in Baraboo.  The family then moved to Seattle, Washington, where her father joined the faculty of the University of Washington.

Char was born with extraordinary intelligence.  She was a star student at every level: Valedictorian at Middleton High School, Phi Beta Kappa at UW-Madison and an outstanding master’s student in Counseling and Guidance. She worked as a guidance counselor in Stoughton and Poynette before being hired as Testing Coordinator in the Testing and Evaluation service of UW-Madison. She served effectively on many committees and as Chairperson for a year of the Academic Staff Committee. She won the Chancellor’s Award to honor her performance as an academic staff member. She ended up as director of T and E, retiring early to realize her dream of providing infant care for her two grandchildren.

But Char’s outstanding career is only a small part of her story.

She and her four siblings were abandoned by their father when Char was about age 12.  Her mother moved the family to Middleton and raised the children alone, working several jobs as a registered dietitian. Norma was embittered by her experience and took her wrath out on Char. I believe Char triumphed over her situation by resolving that no person she ever met would feel the lack of love and support that she experienced. She was like that when I met her at age 16 and I witnessed her put her idea into action for nearly 60 years.

A new family moving into our neighborhood would receive a plate of cookies and a note from Char. Kids attending our annual Christmas party would get a personal gift curated by Char. Student hourly workers would get life-changing career advice from Char. Directors of the Northside Planning Council, an organization that Char helped create, have told me Char’s support and friendship greatly enhanced their success. When she worked as a volunteer therapeutic counselor, some of her clients attended our daughter’s wedding.  If you were a desperate parent trying to get your child into UW-Madison and you were lucky enough to get Char on the phone, you likely got life-changing advice and assistance.

We will never know how many peoples’ lives were enhanced by Char, but I can tell you my phone has been filled with testimonials to her since her death.

She is survived by her husband Dan, who will be celebrating their 55th anniversary with family on May 29, 2026. She is also survived by her beloved daughter, Angela, Angela’s husband Ryan Oettiker and Char’s treasured grandchildren, Aria and Anthony Oettiker.

We can all honor Char by trying to emulate her efforts of love and support in our own lives; honoring the values of diversity, equity and inclusion; and resisting the forces of hatred and division that are so powerful currently in our world.

We plan to have a party for Char when we’ve recovered from the shock of her passing.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420