Charlie the cat.
One year after his passing, Lansdale’s beloved community cat will be remembered with a permanent memorial, Little Free Libraries, and a rock garden
One year after the sudden loss of Charlie the Cat, the beloved tabby who charmed Lansdale and beyond with his adventurous spirit and was a spectacle at White's Road Park, the community is preparing a permanent memorial at the park to honor his memory.
From heartbreak to healing
Charlie, a three-year-old orange tabby known for roaming the neighborhoods around White’s Road Park with his brother Sonny, died in August 2024 after suffering severe injuries. His death drew an outpouring of grief from residents, neighbors, and followers across social media.
“He jammed enough adventures into his three years that most cats never experience in a long lifetime,” his owner, Kristen Ortiz, said at the time. “He was living his best life.”
Ortiz’s post announcing Charlie’s passing was met with more than 400 comments and hundreds of tributes, a sign of how deeply the cat’s personality and presence had resonated. Today, the "White's Road Park Charlie & Sonny" Facebook group is more than 2,200 strong.
Charlie’s online fan club held an in-person tribute at the park and started an online fundraiser for a lasting tribute.
Chalk drawings memorializing Charlie the Cat were left on paths at Whites Road Park in Lansdale in Aug. 2024
Linette Kalbach, left, and Ruthann Kling at the purchase table for decals, calendars and art dedicated to Charlie the Cat.
"I never wanted to hang up his collar at such a young age," wrote Kristen Ortiz on Facebook. "Thank you Patrick Bennett for getting me pictures today. This is a keepsake box with Charlie’s paw print."A bright corner in the park
Now, friends and neighbors are channeling that grief into something permanent. The upcoming memorial, called Charlie’s Corner, will be built near the playground in White’s Road Park.
According to Upper Gwynedd resident Linette Kalbach, who lived beside the park and was considered a “second mom” to Charlie, the project includes two community sharing libraries that will be registered on the official Little Free Library map: one for children’s books and another for general reading.
A third library box will showcase rotating memorabilia of Charlie.
“We’ll also have three benches purchased through the borough so they match the other park benches, and a rock garden where painted rocks can be left in Charlie’s honor or for anyone’s beloved pets,” Kalbach said.
Parks and Recreation staff will handle installation to borough specifications, and while an exact date is not yet set, the committee hopes the dedication will be soon. Kalbach said the libaries were turned over to Parks and Recreation on Tuesday.
“This will be a bright spot in the park where we can smile at the thought of silly Charlie and remember him with all of his love and curiosity,” Ortiz said on Tuesday.
Parks and Recreation Director Courtney Fox said the department met with the committee on Tuesday to review proposed locations for the library and benches. Since the placement within the park has changed since the initial presentation, Fox will take the changes to the parks and recreation committee at the Sept. 3 meeting to ensure agreement with the recommended changes.
"I believe they plan to wait until the benches are installed before hosting the next Charlie Day, so the event can include a more formal ribbon cutting for the new park amenities," Fox said. "The benches are expected to be delivered in late September or early October.
Keeping Charlie’s spirit alive
The project has been largely funded by donations made in the days after Charlie’s death. The GoFundMe organized by Kalbach raised more than $6,700, nearly all of which has gone into the library and memorial effort. To keep the fund sustainable for upkeep, the group plans to sell 2026 calendars, decals, and other items later this year.
Organizers Kalbach, Ortiz, Dawn Cliver, and Karena Mandy Lewis said plans are also underway for a future “Charlie’s Day” event, though details are still being finalized.
For Kalbach, whose family considered Charlie part of their own despite her cat allergies, the permanent memorial is as much about healing as it is about memory.
“Charlie was the most amazing animal, and you couldn’t help but love him,” she said last year. “We were so blessed to be adopted by him.”
Last year, Ortiz agreed that Charlie was one in a million – and should have had a million lives.
Charlie had become more than just a local celebrity in three years; he was a beloved symbol of warmth and joy for thousands. His daily escapades, chronicled on his Facebook group, had turned him into a household name and even earned him a spot as a contender for America's Favorite Cat.
Check out below some children's tales, written by this writer, on Charlie and his adventures that can be found in the White's Road Park Charlie & Sonny memorial group:
The first three chapters – “Hello Charlie,” “Charlie the Wandering Cat & The Red Comfy Chair” and “Charlie the Wandering Cat Meets Blackjack” – can be found in the comments here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1266555307340358/posts/1288178665178022/
Chapter 4: Charlie and the Cats Behind the Window: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1266555307340358/posts/1291080541554501/
Chapter 5: Whites Road Park Charlie and the Secret Cat Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1266555307340358/posts/1294165314579357/
Chapter 6: Charlie and the St. Stan’s Carnival Capers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1266555307340358/posts/1299880150674540/
Chapter 7: Charlie & Trixie: A Lansdale Love Story: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1266555307340358/posts/1304577046871517/
Chapter 8: The Night the Cats Took Lansdale: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1266555307340358/posts/1304925416836680/
Chapter 9: Sonny Side Up: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1266555307340358/posts/1310034822992406/
