A Memorial Service will be held at
2:00 PM on Friday, November 17, 2023 at
Immanuel Presbyterian Church
1100 N. Astor Street in Milwaukee

In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to:

Immanuel Presbyterian Church
1100 N. Astor Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202
or
The American Red Cross
online: American Red Cross | Help Those Affected by Disasters
by phone: 1-800-435-7669

Charlotte Patton Johnstone

Charlotte Patton Johnstone, age 90, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, died on November 5, 2023. Charlotte was born on September 13, 1933, in London England, to American parents B. Frank and Charlotte Patton, and grew up in Westfield, New Jersey.  She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Hollins College (Roanoke, Virginia) in 1955, and matriculated at Union Theological Seminary in New York City in the Master of Divinity degree program. There, she met her husband, the Rev. William Johnstone. They married in June 1956 and, as pastor and spouse partners, embarked on 41 years of service to Presbyterian churches in Saginaw, Michigan; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee.

In her view, Charlotte’s vocation and greatest accomplishment was raising their five children, but she had many avocational pursuits that flowed from the social, political, and performing arts interests that led her to major in piano performance and attend theological seminary. She sat on an inter-religious panel of women addressing race and religion issues in Philadelphia; spearheaded the transformation of Milwaukee’s Music for Youth program to the extraordinary Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra; authored a column in Horizons Magazine for 11 years and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel for 3 years; volunteered as a local Disaster Team Leader for the Milwaukee Red Cross for 17 years; and served Shorewood High School as the annual musical theater pit orchestra pianist for 20 years.

Charlotte is survived by her husband, The Rev. Dr. William H. Johnstone; children, David (Candice) Johnstone, Margaret (Mark) McDonough, Catherine (Peter) Latson, Elizabeth (Randall) Bush, and Susan (Michael) Moderski; thirteen grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and brother B. Frank Patton, Jr. She loved fiercely and was fiercely loved by family and friends.