Charlotte Norrine Johnson, 90, of Coeur d’Alene, passed away April 25, 2012. She was born Feb. 13, 1922, to Lars and Karina Meland, in Manitou Township, N.D. She was raised on the family homestead along with eight other siblings. She attended a country school in Manitou, N.D., and later lived in Stanley, N.D.

At the age of 18, she married Elmer A. Johnson in Sidney, Mont., on Aug. 3, 1940. They lived in Stanley where she worked for Paulsen’s Café and Elmer was working for the Highway Dept., constructing Hwy. 2.

In May 1942, they were blessed with their first child, Karen. With the war heating up, they decided to travel to St. Helens, Ore., where Elmer worked in the shipyards. She stayed with Karen in a small apartment. To make ends meet, she would rent out a room or two along the way or would sell her amazing baked goods. She always had extra people in the house, to help them out. After the war, they all returned to North Dakota. In March 1945, their second daughter, Barb, was born.

In 1951, Charlotte ventured out into the business world, in Ray, N.D. She opened her own restaurant known as Johnson’s Café. She would go in very early in the mornings to prepare her home-baked goods and prep the food for the day, working hard for many long hours. Sometimes she would go in extra early for some of her longtime patrons, if they needed their breakfast or lunch fixed before going out for their day of work or hunt.

Charlotte always remembered the folks she met along the way and appreciated her employees. Charlotte and Elmer purchased a city lot in Ray and moved an old farm home onto the foundation. This was home for many years. In 1957, their third daughter, Kathy, was born. Ten years later they sold their businesses and moved to Coeur d’Alene.

They came to Idaho and purchased a well-known restaurant, Fowlers Café. Elmer was supposedly to be in retirement because of health issues, but went to work for Coeur d’Alene Tractor. He later opened his own mechanics garage which was named Johnson’s Garage. Charlotte continued operating Fowler’s until 1970, when she sold it. For a short while, she worked at the Cove Bowl Café, but then went to work for Buttreys Foods, working in the non-foods department. She retired from Buttreys in 1985.

Charlotte loved to go fishing on the docks of Fernan Lake. It was there, that she introduced fishing to many of her grandchildren. She, also, took great joy in caring for her flowers. Her greatest joy continued with cooking and baking, of which she always loved to share.

Elmer passed away in 1982 and Charlotte continued to live in her home, until January 2012, she moved into Coeur d’Alene Homes.

Charlotte was preceded in death by her parents, Lars and Karina Meland; husband Elmer; brothers, Olaf, Lars and Karl; sisters, Osta, Inga, Laura, Leona and Lillian; and daughter Barbara Hanson.

Charlotte is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Karen (Ron) Ouren of Coeur d’Alene, Kathy (Mike) Hlebichuk of Post Falls and son-in-law Jerry Hanson of Bismarck, N.D. Charlotte had eight grandchildren, Tawnie (Roger) Rouleau of Liberty Lake, Wash., Tom (Taryn) Ouren of Hayden Lake, Tami Ouren of Coeur d’Alene, Tissa (Chad) Hanson Kay of Bismarck, N.D., Mike (Andrea) Hanson of Moorhead, Minn., Kara Hanson of Bismarck, Christopher (Jeanne) Hlebichuk of San Diego, Calif., AJ (Sarah) Hlebichuk of Coeur d’Alene. She had 14 great-grandchildren that she treasured, also. She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, April 30, 2012, at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d’Alene, is in care of the arrangements.

Memorials may be sent to Hospice of North Idaho or Coeur d’Alene Homes. Our family would like to personally thank these two wonderful organizations for being there for mom during this past year.

You may visit Charlotte’s memorial and sign her online guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.