Birth date: Oct 17, 1952 Death date: Sep 26, 2014
Charlene Huff Johnson, 61, passed away after a long battle with cancer on September 26, 2014. Charlene was born in Lakeland on October 17, 1952 and was a Lakeland native her entire life. She graduated from Lakeland High School in Read Obituary
I should have kept in touch, She was the dearest and best friend I have ever had. I will never forget her kindness and her smile. Our trips the farmers markets, ceramic class and the years I worked with her at Social Security. I was so glad to hear she got her little girl. And I know that Don and Megan miss her so very much. I know this is late, but I just wanted to get in touch and renew our friendship when I discovered her death notice. I am overwhelmed and in shock. She was like a sister to me and Don and Charlene opened their home to me and treated me like family.
Don, Megan, Gail and all of Charlene's family: Don knows a lot of this story, but I wanted Megan and Gail, especially, to know that when I think of Charlene, the first word that comes to mind is loyalty. She and Don were friends with my husband and his first wife. When Pat and I became a couple, Charlene was less than pleased (circumstances that are not warranted discussion here). When Don was helping us move to our home, he privately told me that Charlene said she didn't think she liked me because Pat's first wife was her friend and she didn't feel she could be friends with me. I had to think a moment, but then told Don that if she felt any other way, I wouldn't want her for a friend, that I respected not only her honesty, but her loyalty and the only thing I could do was to try to show her that I could respect her feelings and attitude and hopefully, try to win her over to feel the same way towards me. I think we did become friends, not "call me every day" kind of very close friends, but a friendship which grew out of mutual respect for each other's feelings and the humor with which we both addressed in most situations. She taught me about loyalty and standing up for friends even when it would be easier to follow the crowd and just do nothing. I always loved her musical laugh and thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent together. Having lost touch with Don and Charlene for years, I am overwhelmed with her loss, but I will certainly try to keep more in touch with Don and Megan and through a continuing friendship with them, let my friend know that I am loyal to her memory and respect her love for family and friends. Go rest high on that mountain, Charlene.
