10 Facts About Charleszetta Waddles

Charleszetta Waddles is listed in the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame for her contributions to Social Work and Mission Work in the Detroit area.

Charleszetta Waddles was the eldest of seven children, only three of whom survived to adulthood.

Charleszetta Waddles's father Henry was a successful St Louis barber who became financially ruined after he unknowingly gave a haircut to a customer with impetigo, a contagious skin disease, which subsequently caused the infection to spread to other clients who were members of his church congregation.

Charleszetta Waddles's father died when she was 12, and, despite being a successful student, she left school in eighth grade to get work as a housemaid and provide for her family.

Charleszetta Waddles then lived in a common-law marriage with Roosevelt Sturkey and had three more children.

For over four decades, the Reverend Charleszetta Waddles, affectionately known as "Mother Waddles," devoted her life to providing food, hope, and human dignity to the downtrodden and disadvantaged people of Detroit.

Charleszetta Waddles was later re-ordained, in the International Association of Universal Truth.

At first Mother Charleszetta Waddles did all the cooking, dishwashing and laundry herself, but as time went by, dozens of dedicated volunteers joined her.

In 1956 Charleszetta Waddles convinced an inner-city landlord to let her use a vacant storefront at no cost.

Well into her eighties, Charleszetta Waddles continued to work 12-hour days and to remain on call throughout the night.