Charlotte Bridges Johnson

Charlotte Bridges Johnson December 30, 1923 - August 16, 2014 Charlotte Bridges Johnson of Waco passed away Saturday, August 16, 2014. Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 20, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Waco TX for both, Charlotte B. Johnson and Lt. Col. Waverly L. Johnson Jr., and the Reverend Chuck Treadwell will officiate. Charlotte was born December 30, 1923, in Brookhaven, Mississippi, to King W. Bridges and Vesta Parker Bridges. The family moved to Hammond, Louisiana, where she began first grade in Hammond school. She then moved from Hammond to Waco, Texas, April 1, 1936, and attended Waco schools until graduation from Waco High School in 1941. Charlotte entered Baylor as pre-law in the Fall of 1941, where she was a member of PreLaw, President of Athenians Club now Kappa Kappa Gama, and President of Inter-club Council now Panhellenic. She attended University of Mexico in Mexico City in the summer of 1943. Since the Baylor Law school was closed during WWII, she graduated with a history major in the Centennial Class of 1945. She was married September 24, 1944, to Air Force Lt. Waverly L. Johnson. The couple moved to College Station while Waverly completed his degree at TAMU. She was employed as the first female in the A&M History Department in the all male school as instructor in freshman history. Several Waco natives were in her classes. They moved back to Waco in the fall of 1949, and she was confirmed as a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. She helped teach the same group of students there in Sunday School kindergarten, fifth grade and again in high school. Charlotte served as Parliamentarian for Diocesan Women in 1953 and represented the Diocess of Texas at the Synod, which met in Dallas that year. After 10 years of marriage, Waverly Lee Johnson, III, was born, and then daughter, Vesta, was born four years later. The family moved to Ft. Worth for three years. She became an active room mother, Cub Scout and Bluebird leader in many of the children's activities. She learned to cook, sew, and garden and enjoyed homemaking and motherhood. From Ft. Worth the family moved to Birmingham, Alabama, for 30 years. Waverly was Director of Aviation for the city and continued in Reserve Air Force, retiring as Lt. Col. in the Air Force in 1976. In Birmingham, Charlotte became interested in the growing and use of herbs and became the President of the Alabama Herb Society. She also enjoyed her work with herbs as a member of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. She was active in Cathedral Church of the Advent guild work, flower guild and altar guild. Waverly was an active board member of International Airport Operators group, and they enjoyed travels to many foreign and domestic airport meetings and entertaining many friends. After Waverly's airport retirement, they moved back to Waco in 1994. They enjoyed cruises with the Texas A&M alumni groups. In October 1997, Charlotte was honored by the Texas A&M Women's Faculty Network as one of the first women to teach at A&M. Charlotte has been a lifelong Episcopalian and a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Waco. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; and her brother, King White Bridges, Jr. She is survived by her son, Waverly Johnson III and wife, Cricket, of Houston; her daughter, Vesta Batchelder and husband, Eric, of Madisonville, Louisiana; four grandchildren; Waverly L. Johnson IV, Peyton Land Johnson, Julia Elizabeth Batchelder and Edwin Lee Batchelder; and nieces, Jamie Bridges Sidle, Julie Bridges and Melissa Bridges Woodruff. Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 601 Columbus Waco TX 76701. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.