Charlene Johnson left this earth on December 1, 2021, at the age of 92. Born Charlene Thompson on September 13, 1929, to Charles Andrew Thompson and Matilda Jean Knop in Gary, Indiana, Char was the second of the Thompson's four daughters. The family moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1938 where Char's father continued a career working for US Steel.

Char graduated Mt. Lebanon High in the Class of '47. She attended Purdue University for two years, studying English. This is where she became engaged to Jim Huffington, the son of close family friends. They married in 1951, after which Jim's work for Boeing Airplane Company moved them to Seattle, Ohio, Florida, Kansas and eventually to the Lake Crest neighborhood of Bellevue, where they settled permanently with their four children: Chuck, Sue, Bill and Jean.

Once the children were nearly all grown, Char took a job selling ads for the Bellevue Journal American, and then as a church secretary at Holy Family Catholic Church in Kirkland. She became the Office Manager at Holy Family and remained employed there until retiring. Following the death of her first husband Jim in 1978, Char completed her studies at City College, continued her work at Holy Family and continued her membership at Eastgate Congregational, where she met Rick Johnson, who would become her last husband. In 2002, Rick and Char married and made a home in Anacortes. They became active members of the Westminster Presbyterian Church. In her long life, Char was active in so many fascinating pursuits.

She enjoyed gardening, bridge and league bowling. Family lore is that when expecting her youngest child, she missed only one bowling night, the day of Jean's birth. She was an excellent first mate during years of recreational boating in the 60s and 70s, as each summer, the family traveled from Puget Sound to the San Juan Islands and well into British Columbia waters. Char became an accomplished salmon fisherman on these boat trips, getting up at the crack of dawn to get the boat underway and get the fishing line in the water. Her most impressive catch was landing a 64-pound King Salmon in Rivers Inlet BC - hers was the largest catch of all the friends who went on that trip.

In 1979, Char took her youngest to a spring break trip to Hawaii, where they met a couple of young Australians, Chris and Paul Desmond who were then launching a 2-year tour around the U.S. The Desmonds established their U.S. home base at her Bellevue home. From 1981 on, Char made 9 visits Down Under. The Desmond and the McDiarmid families became Char's second families. She didn't hesitate to travel solo, visiting all corners of the Australian continent and making many life-long friends. Char's final Australia trip was in 2015 at age 85, when she was present to hold the new grandson of one of those young Australian mates met on a beach in Waikiki in 1979.

Char loved sports. She loved her Steelers and in later years, her Seahawks. She loved the Seattle Sonics. Most of all, she loved Mariners baseball. She was often heard loudly cheering her team in front of the TV. She and Rick regularly traveled to Arizona and stayed several weeks for Spring Training. They also enjoyed traveling throughout the country by car, RV and airplane, and had many memorable adventures. Char was a Christian who loved the church from an early age. She was active in a Bible study group throughout her 40s. She was a member for 20+ years at Eastgate Congregational in Bellevue. After she and Rick joined Westminster Presbyterian, she became a Stephen Minister providing care through visits to those seeking support. She loved her role as a Stephen Minister, and that came full circle during Char's final months when she was bed-bound and deeply enjoyed the times when her own Stephen Minister visited her. Char loved to sing and was a soprano in the Church choirs throughout her adult life. She was a member of the Cascadian Chorale in Bellevue and later the Harmonaires in Anacortes.

Char was a member of the Kiwanis Club in Anacortes and loved evaluating scholarship applications and being a cashier at the Kiwanis Shop.

Char is survived by her loving husband Richard Johnson, who cared for her and tended to her throughout her final illness. Also surviving Char are all three of her sisters: Carol Peterson of Buena Park, California, Nancy Stephens of Warner Robbins, Georgia and Mary Drennan of Winchester, Virginia. Char also leaves behind her children: Chuck (Dawn), Sue Peterson, Bill (Becky) and Jean (Bill Smith); her bonus children: Barbara (Don Miller ) and Michael Johnson; her grandchildren: Beth , Ian, Bonnie & Owen Huffington, Laura Hanlon (Eammon),  Lindsay Miller, Mars (Lia) Miller, Morgan Johnson and Richie Johnson and her great-grandchildren: William, Elizabeth, Noah, Emmett, Dominic, Adalynd, Landon, Jacob and Charlie, with one more on the way.

In lieu of flowers donations are appreciated, either to the:
Kiwanis Club of Anacortes Scholarship Fund, 520 O Avenue, Anacortes, WA 98221
or to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1300 9th Street, Anacortes, WA 98221.

To share memories of Char, please sign the online guestbook and bookmark this direct link for return visits: www.evanschapel.com/obituary/char-johnson