Charmaine Johns Fisher was born November 26, 1937, in Harlowton, the daughter of Frankie (Miller) Johns and Benjamin Sink Johns. She grew up in Harlowton, graduating from Harlowton High School in 1956 before moving to Billings to attend Eastern Montana College where she graduated in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in education.
She met Ronald R. Fisher in a badminton class at Eastern, and while she thought he was a bit of a showoff in the class, he won her over. They married in 1960 when Ron had a short break between Army boot camp and his assignment with the 1st Battle Group, 3rd Infantry at Fort Myers, Virginia.
Charmaine joined him in Washington D.C. and said it was an exciting time to live there during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Ron was part of the President’s honor guard and on Jan. 20, 1961, she watched as he marched at the front of Kennedy’s inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the steps of the Capital.
Charmaine taught third grade at Ruth K. Webb Elementary School in a predominantly Black neighborhood in downtown Washington D.C. This was during the Civil Rights Movement and Charmaine remembered that the school was new, but the children received hand-me-down books that were missing pages, outdated and historically inaccurate. It was a lesson in civil rights she never forgot. Charmaine was hired by a private school the following year where she taught children from several different countries.
Charmaine left teaching after she and Ron returned to Montana to raise a family. They spent many summers traveling to different states with the kids, living on or near military bases, where Ron was assigned during his years in the Army Reserves. After her four children were nearly grown, Charmaine became a realtor and spent eight years selling houses. She loved helping low-income families find houses and financing they could afford.
Above everything else, Charmaine loved her role as a mom. She absolutely adored children.
Asked what accomplishment she was most proud of in life, and she would always say, “My four perfect children.” All of her children work in professions that help others.
Charmaine comes from a long line of Montana pioneers and frontiersmen. She is related to Mary (Granny) Yates, who led 13 wagon trains between Missouri and Montana in the 1860s and is featured in some Montana history books. Her great grandfather was Rufus Thompson, a well-known Montana frontiersman and pioneer.
Charmaine died peacefully at her home in Billings after a long illness. She is survived by four children, Michael (Cathy) Fisher of Riverton, Wyoming, Wendy (Lee) Owen of Portland, Oregon, Eric (Lynnette) Fisher of Billings, Jill (Curtis) Gibbs of Billings; and six grandchildren, Alan Fisher, Travis Fisher, Matt Fisher, Dylan Fisher, Katie Fisher and Ty Fisher as well as at least six granddogs.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 2021, her parents, and her siblings, Patricia Hautzinger, Ben Johns and Gary Johns.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 6149, Aloha, OR 97007
Graveside service will be at 10:00am Friday, July 31 at Yellowstone National Cemetery, Laurel.