Charlotte Watson Johnston

Born on June 6, 1937, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Charlotte was the eldest daughter of Georgia Evelyn Satterfield and an absentee father, Wilbur Watson. From an early age, she demonstrated resilience, positivity and initiative while helping her mother raise her younger sisters, Sonia Marie and Martha Pauline.

Charlotte graduated from Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, in 1955, where she was a spirited cheerleader known by the nickname “Cha Cha” — a name that would later become her beloved grandma name as well. During those years, she had a single encounter with her most famous classmate, Warren Beatty, when he executed his hall monitor duty by asking her, “Where’s your hall pass?”

After high school, Charlotte began her career at the Department of Defense at the Pentagon in the Air Force Accounting and Finance Division, where she held secret security clearance and was honored with the Outstanding Performance Award. Known for her remarkable speed and precision, Charlotte was once clocked at typing 120 words per minute. She later worked for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the Office of the Commandant of Cadets, before continuing her career in North Carolina with the NC Bankers Association, the NC Dental Society, the Democratic Party of North Carolina as Director of Administration, and the NC General Assembly in the Office of the Senate Principal Clerk.

Once Charlotte and her family moved to Raleigh, she immersed herself in forming friendships at work, church and her neighborhood, Pickwick Village. She helped organize many parties and countless neighborhood pig pickings that will go down in history, leaving behind treasured memories and lifelong bonds not only for her peers, but the children of the Pickwick neighborhood.

Beyond her professional life, Charlotte was a woman of many talents and joys. Through rituals like spending every Saturday with her son Walt watching the Carol Burnett show to making clothes for her daughter Amy — complete with matching Barbie outfits – she showed her love for her children. She was a fantastic cook, best known for her éclairs, chicken pot pies, tunnel of fudge cake, barbecue chicken and potato salad. Many do not know that she was also a gifted artist, drawing with pastels and pencils, and showing creativity in countless other ways.

Charlotte also loved to travel. From a cross-country adventure with her husband and children (where, for a few nerve-wracking hours, they lost Amy at the Grand Canyon) to journeys to Hawaii, Japan, Italy, Canada, and Bermuda, Charlotte delighted in exploring her world and celebrating other cultures.

What defined her most, however, was her character. Charlotte had a positive and cheerful attitude, a resilience forged from her challenging childhood, and an ability to form deep and lasting friendships. She was surrounded throughout her life by dear friends from her neighborhood, her many jobs, and even her high school days, who cherished her warmth, acceptance and devotion.

Charlotte was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Eugene Johnston; her sister, Sonia Marie; and her daughter-in-law, Teresa Strickland. She is survived by her son, Walter Eugene Johnston II; her daughter, Amy Johnston Merritt, husband Mike, and her beloved grandson Alex; her sister, Martha Belanger, and husband Dan; and her brother-in-law, Warren Johnston, and his wife Betsy. She is also survived by her many nieces and nephews whom she loved as if they were her own.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh, NC. Charlotte loved bright colors, so all are invited to wear joyful colors in her honor. The service will be followed by visitation with family and friends, including light food and beverages.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Transitions LifeCare at transitionslifecare.org/donate or 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.

As Proverbs 17:22 reminds us: “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Charlotte lived this truth, and her laughter, love, and joy will continue to be medicine for all who were blessed to know her.