Charlotte grew up in the northern city of Schwerin, Germany during the rise of Nazi power and Hitler's reign. Through her doctor mother's ingenuity and love for her daughter, Charlotte escaped. A refugee and immigrant three times, Charlotte's life, even as the manager of a microbiology lab in California in the US, she carried a lifelong mission to help others close and afar and was tirelessly dedicated to issues around social justice. Following the publication of her book, Charlotte died after a long and happy life in July, 2019 in Hendersonville, NC.