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Charles Edward Johnson, 78, of Hagerstown, died Friday, March 30, 2012, in Hagerstown. The Rev. Stephen Robison officiated at a memorial service April 4 at the Rest Haven Funeral Chapel in Hagerstown.

Charles Edward Johnson and his twin brother Maurice were born July 22, 1933, in Hagerstown, sons of the late Maurice Needy, and Helen Irene (Schmidt) Johnson Sr. He graduated from Hagerstown High School in 1951 and went on to earn degrees from Hagerstown Junior College, Shepherd College and Shippensburg State College.

After his retirement from over 30 years in education, Charles attended Wesley Seminary in Washington D.C., and became a Local Pastor. He served Piney Plains Charge in 1986-88, then the Potomac Park-McKendree Charge in LaVale in 1988-1990.  After suffering an aneurism, which left him paralyzed on his left side in November, 1990, he retired from the ministry, but not from leading an independent and full life as a layman.

At age five he and his identical twin, Maurice, began what would be a lifelong love of singing when they performed in the acapella boys choir at the Presbyterian Church in Hagerstown.

After college, the brothers enlisted in the U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Jackson, S.C. They handled media relations during the 1957 "Little Rock 9" school desegregation crisis. He spent three years in Little Rock achieving four promotions to Sergeant E6.

After discharge in 1958, Johnson spent 17 years in the Washington County School System as a television writer and instructor, classroom teacher and administrator. He started his teaching career at Boonsboro High School and Washington Street Junior High.  He was also an elder and chairman of the Congregation at First Christian Church in Hagerstown.

In 1973, he became the first Director of the Western Maryland Vocational Resource Center in Cresaptown. He also taught at Allegany and Fort Hill High Schools, Allegany Community College and at the Shepherd University Graduate School.

He received many awards and honors while in the public school system. Throughout his education career he travelled broadly and extensively in order to gain first-hand experiences with a variety of teaching and learning situations, and used these tools in the classroom.

He was an active layman at Otterbein UMC, where, among other activities, he served as the first president and an organizer of a chapter of the United Methodist Men. He was also active in many community organizations, including Optimist Clubs, the Allegany County Cancer Society. He and his brother received the Award for Outstanding Achievement and Worthwhile Contribution to Community Life from the Hagerstown Community College.

Johnson was preceded in death by his twin brother and fellow pastor, Maurice N. Johnson Jr.

He is survived by his daughters, Julie Wagener of New Market, Laurie Bender of Hagerstown, and Catina Femi of Monroe, N.C.; son, Charles E. Johnson Jr. of Bensalem, Pa.; and five grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Otterbein UMC, 108 East Franklin St., Hagerstown, MD 21740.